(CNN) 鈥 In a wrenching video posted to Instagram on Wednesday evening, 鈥淭oday鈥 anchor Savannah Guthrie pleaded for her missing mother to come home
鈥淲e need to know without a doubt that she鈥檚 alive and that you have her,鈥 Guthrie said in response to reports of a potential ransom note. 鈥淲e want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.鈥
She said her mother is in 鈥渃onstant pain鈥 and needs her medication to survive.
Flanked by her siblings, Annie Guthrie and Camron Guthrie, the family spoke directly to their mother in a tearful plea.
鈥淢omma, if you鈥檙e listening, we need you to come home, we miss you,鈥 Annie Guthrie said.
Savannah Guthrie described her mother as a 鈥渟punky鈥 and 鈥渃lever鈥 woman of faith who is loved by her entire family: 鈥淥ur mom is our heart and our home.鈥
鈥淪he has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her with kisses,鈥 Savannah Guthrie said. 鈥淪he loves fun and adventure. She is a devoted friend. She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her, and you鈥檒l see.鈥
She indicated she and her family are 鈥渞eady to talk.鈥
鈥淗owever, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated,鈥 she said, adding the family needs proof their mother is alive.
The plea by her three children is likely meant to establish direct contact with possible abductors, according to former FBI deputy director and CNN law enforcement analyst Andrew McCabe.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not something that you would do if you were already in negotiations with someone that you actually thought had the victim,鈥 McCabe told CNN.
On Wednesday afternoon before Savannah Guthrie鈥檚 video went up on Instagram, an increased law enforcement presence could be seen outside Nancy Guthrie鈥檚 home as detectives conducted a 鈥渇ollow-up鈥 at the property and in the neighborhood, the Pima County Sheriff鈥檚 Office said.
Crime scene tape went up across the entire length of the property and about a dozen law enforcement officers were at the scene for about two hours. Law enforcement could be seen carrying evidence bags into the house and appeared to bring some of them back outside into a vehicle, CNN鈥檚 Ed Lavandera reported.
The law enforcement presence, including agents with the Phoenix FBI, was eventually cleared. Sniffing dogs were also on the scene, CNN affiliate KXNV reported.
President Donald Trump said in a Wednesday that he is directing 鈥淎LL Federal Law Enforcement鈥 to help the Guthrie family and local law enforcement in Arizona in finding Nancy Guthrie.
Media outlets receive alleged ransom notes
The TV anchor鈥檚 video came on the fourth day of the desperate search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie.
Some of the most recent evidence in the investigation is also among the case鈥檚 most disturbing: purported ransom notes sent to media outlets.
At least three different media outlets 鈥 and CNN Tucson affiliates and 鈥 report they received ransom notes earlier this week demanding millions of dollars in bitcoin for Nancy Guthrie鈥檚 safe return.
Those outlets say the notes also described specific evidence in Guthrie鈥檚 home, where authorities say she . Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has declined to confirm whether those claims match the crime scene, but told CBS News investigators did share the note with Savannah Guthrie.
Investigators have not yet confirmed whether the three similar notes are legitimate, but Nanos said Tuesday he was 鈥渁bsolutely not鈥 dismissing them.
鈥淲hen the note comes to us, it鈥檚 like any piece of evidence,鈥 Nanos . 鈥淵ou give it to us. You give us a lead. We鈥檙e going to look at every aspect of that lead and work it as a lead.鈥
Meanwhile, investigators are examining evidence that could speak to the timeline of the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. Her pacemaker last sent a signal to her iPhone around 2 a.m. on Sunday, according to a source briefed on the investigation. Her iPhone was left in the house.
Even as more information about the investigation is coming out, local law enforcement pushed back on claims that detectives have identified a suspect in the case.
The sheriff鈥檚 department asked the public Wednesday not to spread rumors about who may be responsible for the disappearance, saying they are speaking with 鈥渁nyone who may have had contact with Mrs. Guthrie.鈥
鈥淲hile we appreciate the public鈥檚 concern, the sharing of unverified accusations or false information is irresponsible and does not assist the investigation,鈥 the department .
In response to a request for comment, the sheriff鈥檚 department referred CNN to a statement Tuesday.
鈥淲e are aware of reports circulating about possible ransom note(s) regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie,鈥 the agency said. 鈥淲e are taking all tips and leads very seriously. Anything that comes in, goes directly to our detectives who are coordinating with the FBI.鈥
Investigators are working to determine if the notes are authentic, the chief of detectives for the Pima County Attorney鈥檚 Office told Fox News.
鈥淚t may or may not be of value,鈥 Fabian Pacheco said, 鈥渂ut it is still considered evidence. It is still considered a lead.鈥
Nanos has made it clear they do not believe Guthrie wandered from her home, saying she is 鈥渟harp as a tack鈥 but has limited mobility and could not walk a long distance without assistance.
Video sends a strong signal
The Guthrie family has not said whether they have received a ransom note from possible kidnappers, but the video likely indicates they have not, McCade noted.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 know this for sure, but I feel like this is a fairly strong signal that (the Guthrie family) do not believe they鈥檝e had a legitimate ransom demand yet,鈥 McCabe told CNN.
Nancy Guthrie has been missing for four days. In most cases, a direct ransom demand from the kidnappers to the family would have been made at this point, McCabe added.
The gut-wrenching video posted to Instagram Wednesday evening is one way the in the eyes of kidnappers, according to CNN鈥檚 Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst, John Miller.
鈥淭his is a family who has been reached out to by kidnappers using the media,鈥 Miller said, noting 鈥(they) are now communicating back through the same media with a desperate plea.鈥
By establishing a two-way conversation, the Guthries are asking to be in direct contact with anyone who might know where Nancy Guthrie is, and to get proof that she is alive, Miller said.
Investigators process evidence taken from Guthrie鈥檚 home
While the sheriff鈥檚 department has given few details about the investigation, more information is coming out about what was found at Nancy Guthrie鈥檚 one-story home, located in a framed by the famous saguaro cactus native to the Sonoran Desert that blankets Tucson.
Authorities found blood inside Guthrie鈥檚 home, the Tuesday, citing law enforcement sources not authorized to discuss the case publicly. The report did not detail whose blood was found or where in the house it was found.
There were signs of forced entry at the home, according to a person familiar with the investigation who spoke to .
Learning that Guthrie鈥檚 pacemaker stopped communicating with the phone early on Sunday morning, and that the phone was left in the home, could provide another clue on when she was taken.
Some modern pacemakers 鈥 devices that keep the heart in a regular rhythm 鈥 can transmit data to a phone app via Bluetooth so it can be shared directly with a patient鈥檚 doctor for easier monitoring. The connection generally would be possible only when the phone is near the pacemaker. Details about the model of Guthrie鈥檚 pacemaker weren鈥檛 immediately available.
Nancy Guthrie had dinner Saturday with family members who took her back to her home, where she lives alone, around 9:30 p.m., Nanos said.
Guthrie was uncharacteristically absent from church Sunday morning, prompting a friend to call relatives, who discovered she was not at home, authorities said.
The sheriff鈥檚 department collected DNA samples from the residence, Nanos said, but tests on those samples have not yet led them to any suspects.
Authorities are reviewing a report of a possible trespassing that occurred near Nancy Guthrie鈥檚 home on January 4, as well as 鈥渁ll other cases within a close radius鈥 to the residence, sheriff鈥檚 officials said in an update Wednesday.
Savannah Guthrie 鈥渉as a security team鈥 that has been staying in touch with the sheriff鈥檚 department, Nanos said. Nancy Guthrie鈥檚 home has been turned back over to Guthrie鈥檚 family.
Time is of the essence in the search for Guthrie because she takes medication daily that is critical for her health, and being without it 鈥渃ould be fatal锘,鈥 Nanos said Monday.
Savannah Guthrie鈥檚 news colleagues ask for public鈥檚 help
The disappearance of her mother has understandably thrown Savannah Guthrie鈥檚 life into chaos. She rushed to Tucson to be with her family at a time she was originally supposed to be preparing to host NBC鈥檚 coverage of the opening ceremony Friday from Milan, Italy.
The network confirmed Tuesday that Guthrie will no longer host the program and is focused on being with her family. NBC a new slate of Olympics hosts Wednesday and revealed Guthrie鈥檚 Today Show co-host, Craig Melvin, will also remain stateside.
NBC News programs throughout the week have repeatedly encouraged anyone who might have information about Nancy Guthrie鈥檚 disappearance to call the Pima County Sheriff鈥檚 Department tip line, 520-351-4900.
鈥淪avannah has shared that it was her mother who taught her the power of prayer, the types of prayers that make you get on your knees and pray for God鈥檚 protection,鈥 Tom Llamas said on 鈥淣BC Nightly News鈥 Tuesday. 鈥淪avannah and her family need your prayers tonight. They also need your help.鈥
锘縋resident Donald Trump called and spoke with Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday, according to a White House official.
Guthrie thanked the president for taking the time to call and told him her family is devastated and needs prayers, NBC .
At an Oval Office event Tuesday, Trump expressed sympathy for Guthrie.
鈥淚 always got along very good with Savannah,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淰ery unusual situation, but we鈥檙e going to find out.鈥
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