The FBI has determined that three kidnapping-related messages concerning Nancy Guthrie are fakes or inauthentic, according to reports from GDELT. A second law enforcement source confirmed this assessment. The three messages deemed fake by the FBI consist of two ransom notes reported in early February and a third recent message from an individual claiming to know the kidnappers' identities.

In contrast, police believe the February note stating Nancy Guthrie died is real. A second note dated February 6 stated that Nancy Guthrie had died and that the kidnappers did not mean to kill her. Police believe the two notes came from the same people and were likely sent from the same computer IP address, according to UPI.

The discrepancy between the FBI's current assessment and the family's prior stance has been noted. In March, Savannah Guthrie told NBC News that the family believed the notes were authentic. Prior to that, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings posted a video to Instagram on February 7 stating they received the message and understood.

The Hindustan Times article title frames the ransom notes as a 'Mea Culpa' and suggests a theory that kidnappers are trying to dodge the death penalty, describing the narrative as 'chilling' and 'complicated'.