A newly disclosed ransom email sent to the family of missing American Nancy Guthrie prompted investigators to conclude they were no longer dealing solely with a kidnapping case but also a potential homicide, according to an investigation published by Air Mail.
The report details a previously unreported message received Feb. 6, just four days after the sender had allegedly promised there would be "no further communications."
According to sources, the email came from the same IP address as earlier ransom messages that investigators had considered credible.
The message marked a shift in the case.
Sources close to the investigation told Air Mail that the email opened with what was described as an apology for Guthrie's inadvertent death.
The sender then allegedly offered to arrange delivery of Guthrie's body in exchange for payment, though it was unclear whether the demand matched an earlier $4 million ransom request.
The contents of the email led members of a multi-agency task force to conclude that Guthrie may have died in captivity, transforming the investigation from a kidnapping case into a possible homicide inquiry.
The tone of the message differed from earlier communications sent to Guthrie's family. While previous emails were described as articulate and detailed, the Feb. 6 message appeared less confident and more erratic, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
The publication said the language used in the communications has shaped a theory among some involved in the case that the abductor may not have been a cartel member, as investigators initially suspected, but rather an educated opportunist seeking a ransom payment.
The sender demonstrated familiarity with cryptocurrency and communicated in a manner suggesting a higher level of education than typically associated with organized criminal groups involved in kidnappings.
The apology contained in the latest message has become a focal point for investigators and analysts examining the case.
Sources cited by Air Mail said the wording suggested someone whose plans had unraveled rather than a hardened criminal acting on behalf of a larger organization.
The report said one theory is that Guthrie's captor intended to collect ransom but lost control of the situation after Guthrie died, either from violence or illness. Authorities have not publicly confirmed that theory, and no suspect has been publicly identified.
The case remains unsolved.