A bitcoin wallet address cited in ransom notes tied to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie recorded new activity this week, according to TMZ.
Guthrie, 84, the mother of NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her Tucson, Arizona, home on Jan. 31.
New wallet activity and a 1 BTC demand
TMZ said a small transaction worth less than a few hundred dollars was sent to the wallet address referenced in one of the notes.
Authorities have not confirmed who initiated the transfer, whether it was a test transaction, or whether it is connected to the disappearance.
TMZ also reported that a third letter was sent Wednesday demanding 1 bitcoin—about $67,500 at the time of reporting—in exchange for identities tied to the case.
Suspect footage released
Authorities released surveillance footage Tuesday showing a masked person appearing to tamper with Guthrie’s front-door Google Nest camera.
FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X:
“Working with our partners, as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance.”
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department posted an update alongside the images:
“UPDATE: New images in the search for Nancy Guthrie”
How crypto tracing may factor in
The bitcoin address has not been released publicly, limiting outside verification.
Ari Redbord, global head of policy at TRM Labs and a former federal prosecutor, told Decrypt:
“When there’s a cryptocurrency address in an investigation, it provides a really powerful tool for law enforcement because they can track and trace the flow of funds in real time.”
He added that investigators often watch for funds to move to an exchange where know-your-customer checks may help identify suspects.
Detention and DOJ charge
NBC News reported a man who identified himself as Carlos Palazuelos was detained Tuesday for questioning and later released without charge.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Derrick Callella of Hawthorne, California, with transmitting a ransom demand after prosecutors said he sent bitcoin demands via text using a VOIP account.
Authorities have not linked those messages to the original ransom notes.
