Authorities detained a man for questioning Tuesday night in the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said.
The development comes hours after the FBI released images of a masked and armed individual captured on her front door camera on the morning the 84-year-old mother of “TODAY” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie disappeared in Tucson, Arizona.
It was not immediately clear whether the man detained for questioning was the person seen in the doorbell camera images FBI Director Kash Patel released earlier. The FBI is directing all questions to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
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The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI’s Evidence Response Team are conducting a court-authorized search tonight at a location in Rio Rico, Arizona, that is related to the Guthrie investigation.
The operation is expected to last several hours.
Rio Rico is about 60 miles south of Tucson and just north of the Mexico border.
Patel earlier published six black-and-white photos and three video clips on X. The images show an unidentified person wearing a mask, gloves, sneakers and a backpack. The person is armed, Patel said on X, and at least one of the videos shows a holstered gun.
The images show the person appearing to cover the camera with a gloved hand and what seems to be part of a plant. In one of the videos, the person tilts their head downward while walking through the home’s front archway.
Patel said law enforcement had “uncovered these previously inaccessible new images” as of Tuesday morning. The video was “recovered from residual data located in backend systems.”
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, which is leading the investigation, released an identical statement and said no news briefings were planned at this time.
The images released by the FBI show the logo for Nest, a smart doorbell brand owned by Google. The technology giant did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Savannah Guthrie posted one of the photos on her Instagram account with a brief message: “We believe she is still alive. Bring her home. Anyone with information, please contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department 520-351-4900.”
Officials announced late Tuesday that a person of interest was detained for questioning in the suspected kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “TODAY” show anchor Savannah Guthrie.
President Donald Trump has reviewed the imagery, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
“The president encourages any American across the country with any knowledge of the suspect to please call the FBI, who continue to assist state and local authorities who are leading this investigation on the ground,” Leavitt said.
Patel, whom Trump appointed to lead the FBI, visited the Tucson command center in the Guthrie case Monday, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.
Guthrie’s family reported the 84-year-old missing from her home in Tucson around noon Feb. 1 after she did not show up for virtual church services. She was last seen the previous night, around 9:45 p.m., after having had dinner at the home of her daughter Annie Guthrie, Arizona, according to the sheriff’s department.
Guthrie’s disappearance set off a desperate search involving state and federal law enforcement agencies.
Three news outlets have said they received a ransom note referring to Guthrie. NBC News has reviewed a copy of the note, and the contents are consistent with the descriptions provided by the FBI and those news outlets. No law enforcement agency has so far substantiated the note.
In an Instagram video Monday, Savannah Guthrie said her family believed her mother was “still out there” and asked for the public’s help finding her.
“We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help,” she said in part.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said Guthrie does not have cognitive issues, characterizing her as “sharp as a tack.” However, he said, she has limited mobility and needs to take medication daily or “it could be fatal.”
Nanos has said he does not know whether Guthrie’s medication was still at her home.
She has a pacemaker — a device typically implanted under the skin to regulate the heartbeat — which disconnected from its monitoring app on her phone early Feb. 1.
The FBI has released images of what they are calling a “possible subject” in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.
Allison Craig is a passionate sports writer and analyst with a deep love for game strategies, player performances, and the latest trends in the sports world. With years of experience covering football, basketball, tennis, and more, she delivers insightful analysis and engaging content for sports enthusiasts.
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