(CNN) - A note sent in February to local news outlets about the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC  Today  show anchor Savannah Guthrie, said the 84-year-old died shortly after she was kidnapped early this year, law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation told CNN at the time.

Investigators believed the note - and one earlier note demanding a ransom of millions of dollars, which CNN also learned about at the time - were legitimate communications from whoever took Nancy Guthrie from her home in Arizona's Catalina Foothills early on February 1 without her phone or medications, the sources said.

 The second note said, basically, it wasn't intended to work this way but in the course of the kidnapping some things happened and Nancy Guthrie is dead,  CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller said on  AC360  Monday night.

 The thing that makes the note significant is it came from the same electronic source as the first note, which demanded the ransom,  he said, adding the second note had  a very different tone (from) that note the week before. 

On the heels of the second note, the Guthrie family on February 7 posted an emotional video in which Savannah Guthrie said,  We received your message, and we understand,  without describing what it said. The Guthries never got the notes directly, law enforcement sources told CNN.

While officials have said little publicly about the authenticity of the notes, CNN and the local news outlets initially agreed to a request by law enforcement and the Guthrie family to hold off on reporting the contents of both so any future communications with kidnappers could be authenticated, Miller said.

Authorities also felt the public would lose interest in Nancy Guthrie's case and fewer tips would be called in if the note's details were released, according to Miller.

 They also didn't want people to say,  Oh, well, she passed away, I guess the case is over,' and to not continue to come forward with tips when they were getting a lot of information,  he added Tuesday.

Now, investigators believe the widespread revelation of the

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