Ransom note, blood found in Guthrie case; Trump signs shutdown deal
Police are now investigating an apparent ransom note sent to media outlets and blood found outside the home of Savannah Guthrie’s mother. Authorities say the evidence deepens concerns that she was taken from her bed overnight.
Plus, the government shutdown is over. But funding for Homeland Security expires in just two weeks, setting up a high-stakes clash over ICE tactics and immigration enforcement.
And President Donald Trump is doubling down on calls to federalize elections, even as the White House insists he was referring to voter ID.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, February 4, 2026.
Ransom note tied to Guthrie disappearance under review
In southern Arizona, the mystery deepens in what investigators believe is the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.
Authorities say she was taken from her bed while she slept.
Now, two media outlets, including TMZ, have received what appears to be a ransom note.
Investigators are now working to confirm whether it is authentic and who sent it.
CBS News has also obtained video showing blood droplets outside the front door of Guthrie’s home, in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains near Tucson. Authorities have not confirmed whose blood it is.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen Saturday night after returning home from dinner with family. When she failed to show up for church Sunday morning, relatives called for help.
The Pima County Sheriff says investigators are now processing evidence, including fingerprints, DNA and surveillance footage.
They say the home is equipped with cameras, but authorities have not said what, if anything, they captured.
Sheriffs say time is critical. Guthrie relies on daily medication, and without it, her life could be in danger.
President Donald Trump was asked about the case on Tuesday, calling it “terrible” and saying he would reach out to Savannah.
The “Today” show anchor was scheduled to take part in NBC’s upcoming winter Olympics coverage in Italy, but has since withdrawn.
She has asked the public for prayers.
Trump escalates call to ‘nationalize’ elections
Trump is doubling down on his call to “nationalize” U.S. elections, even after the White House tried to walk it back.
A day after Trump said Republicans should “take over” voting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted the president was talking about voter ID and pushing Congress to pass the SAVE Act.
“I don’t think any rational person who’s being honest with themselves would disagree with the idea of requiring citizens of this country to present an ID before casting a ballot in a federal election, or frankly, in any election,” Leavitt said. “And that’s something the president wants to see happen. So that’s what he was referring to.”
But just hours later, the president went much further from the Oval Office.
“Take a look at Detroit, take a look at Pennsylvania, take a look at Philadelphia, you go take a look at Atlanta, look at some of the places with horrible corruption on elections, and the federal government should not allow that,” Trump said. “The federal government should get — these are agents of the federal government to count the votes. If they can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then someone else should take over.”
His comments have drawn swift pushback from Democrats, including from Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner.
“It is inappropriate for the president to advocate for actions that are wholly at odds with the Constitution and two and a half centuries of state and local elections,” Warner said.
But it wasn’t just Democrats disagreeing with the president. When asked by reporters about Trump’s comments, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he wasn’t in favor of federalizing elections either.
He said it’s “harder to hack 50 election systems than it is to hack one.”
Under the Constitution, elections are conducted by state and local officials, not the White House.
But the president is making clear this isn’t about voter ID. It’s about who controls and oversees the vote, and who doesn’t, heading into a high-stakes midterm year.
Trump signs bill to end shutdown, fund DHS for two weeks
The partial government shutdown is officially over, ending after just a few days of disruption.
Trump signed a $1.2 trillion spending package into law on Tuesday after the House approved it in a tight 217-to-214 vote. The measure funds major federal agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Education and State, through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.
But there’s a big caveat. The Department of Homeland Security is only funded through Feb. 13.
That short-term extension was part of a compromise to pass the broader package, and now lawmakers have 10 days to work out a longer-term deal for DHS funding.
Democrats and some Republicans say they want changes to immigration enforcement practices after deadly incidents involving federal agents in Minneapolis.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has made clear he won’t back any plan proposals that include certain Democratic demands, such as mandatory body cameras or restrictions on warrantless searches. But lawmakers say more negotiations are coming.
Some conservatives are pushing to fund DHS for a full year if a deal can’t be struck by next week.
For now, most of the federal government is open again, and employees who were off work during the shutdown are being recalled and could receive back pay.
Jill Biden’s ex-husband charged with murder in wife’s death
The ex-husband of former first lady Jill Biden has been charged with murder.
Delaware authorities arrested 77-year-old William Stevenson after a grand jury indicted him on a first-degree murder charge in the death of his current wife, Linda Stevenson, who was found unresponsive in their Wilmington-area home in late December.
Police report that officers were first dispatched to the residence due to a reported domestic dispute. They discovered 64-year-old Linda Stevenson in the living room and subsequently declared her dead.
Investigators haven’t released details of her death.
A grand jury returned the indictment following what police described as an extensive, weeks-long investigation.
William Stevenson was married to Jill Biden in the early 1970s. That marriage ended decades ago. The Biden post-presidential office has so far declined to comment.
Stevenson is now being held on $500,000 cash bail and remains in custody. It’s unclear whether he has an attorney.
Judge weighs sentence in Trump assassination attempt
A federal judge will decide Wednesday whether the man who tried to assassinate Trump on a Florida golf course will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Prosecutors said 60-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh “painstakingly” planned the September 2024 attack, hiding in the bushes at the Trump International Golf Club with a military-grade rifle, waiting for the then-presidential candidate to arrive. They described the plot as methodical and deliberate.
Following a tumultuous trial where Routh acted as his own defense and gained media attention for attempting to stab himself in the neck with a pen upon the guilty verdict announcement, prosecutors are now pushing for the maximum possible sentence.
A jury convicted Routh on five counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and assaulting a federal officer.
Routh’s defense is asking for 27 years, arguing that he should one day “experience freedom again” rather than die in a cell. They’ve submitted psychiatric reports diagnosing narcissistic and bipolar disorders, but prosecutors say the record tells a different story.
They cite Routh’s own writings, in which he expressed no remorse and even suggested he’d prefer the president “pummel” him personally rather than face court.
Year of the ‘sad’ Horse: The botched toy taking over 2026
The Chinese Lunar New Year is upon us, and it’s the Year of the “sad” Horse?
It’s actually supposed to be the Year of the Horse. But a production mistake at a Chinese toy factory has turned a holiday push into a viral hit. The red stuffed horses were meant to look festive and joyful, marking the new year. Instead, they appear miserable, with very noticeable frowns.
However, that unhappy expression is exactly why people love them.
The “cry cry horse” — as it’s now being called — has exploded online, with knockoffs already flooding marketplaces and buyers saying it perfectly captures their mood amid a tough economy and uncertain job prospects.
Adding to the irony, 2026 is the year in which the Chinese zodiac tradition symbolizes bold action and rapid change, but it also brings greater intensity and the risk of burnout.
The toymaker is now struggling to meet demand.
And the worker who made the mistake that started it all? They’ve been awarded a bonus of more than $1,200 per year for the next 12 years.
More from Straight Arrow News:
Texas man sues California doctor for wrongful death for mailing abortion pills
A Texas lawsuit against a California doctor who prescribed abortion pills for a Texas woman is the latest instance of states with abortion bans targeting doctors in states that allow the procedure.
On Sunday, Jerry Rodriguez filed a lawsuit against Dr. Rémy Coeytaux, a physician based in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to The Associated Press. Rodriguez, who lives in Texas, accused Coeytaux of illegally mailing abortion pills.
A new Texas law allows private citizens to sue anyone who makes, distributes, mails or provides abortion medicine to or from the state, according to The Texas Tribune.
Texas is the second state to target Coeytaux for sending abortion pills over state lines. On Jan. 13, Louisiana asked California to extradite Coeytaux over criminal charges related to sending abortion pills to Louisiana. If convicted in Louisiana, he could face up to 50 years in prison.
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom denied Louisiana’s request, citing an executive order he signed barring state agencies from assisting outside groups to prosecute abortion providers.
The recent actions are testing blue state shield laws, which protect doctors against prosecution for providing abortions out of state. Read the full story now>
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
