How ransom notes could help catch Nancy Guthrie's kidnapper
A forensic linguist told the BBC it's possible to glean crucial information about a person from just a few sentences.
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Notable Quotes
"There are a number of pieces of information in these notes that just might jar someone to say 'you know, I've heard that'."
— Chris Nanos , Other
"It's built upon the premise that we each carry an idiolect, or a word print, of our own that distinguishes our language from others."
— William Eggington , Academic
"Once payment is received to the bitcoin address below she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop off location back in Tucson."
— William Eggington , Academic
"The passage contains restricted, academic-style language - but this may not be a natural reflection of this person's language, and they could be intentionally writing in a stilted manner as a way to disguise their true voice."
— William Eggington , Academic
Key People
Chris Nanos is the Pima County Sheriff.
Nancy Guthrie is an 84-year-old woman who was recently abducted from her home in Arizona.
Savannah Guthrie is an American news anchor and journalist.
William Eggington is a retired linguistics professor from Brigham Young University and a forensic consultant.
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A forensic linguist told the BBC it's possible to glean crucial information about a person from just a few sentences.
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