Individual detained in Nancy Guthrie kidnapping: What we know about the case and a ‘masked’ gunman at the door
FBI released photos and videos of an ‘armed’ suspect at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning she disappeared
Authorities have detained a “person of interest” for questioning in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, 10 days after the 84-year-old vanished from her home in Tucson, Arizona, according to police.
The individual was detained by officers from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI, the sheriff’s office said late Tuesday, though little further information was made public.
“We are looking at people who, as we say, are persons of interest,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Tuesday evening, but did not elaborate on who the suspect or suspects might be.
The Independent has contacted the sheriff’s department for further information.
It comes shortly after new surveillance photos and video of a masked person outside the Arizona home of Nancy Guthrie on the night she was abducted over a week ago were released on Tuesday, marking a significant update in the case.
Police believe Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her home in a quiet neighborhood near Tucson at some point between the night of January 31 and the morning of February 1.
The black and white images released by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, 10 days after Guthrie was last seen, show a masked, “armed” individual who appeared to have tampered with Guthrie’s doorbell camera.
Police said it has been working to recover “lost, corrupted or inaccessible” footage related to Guthrie’s disappearance.
“Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrie’s home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors - including the removal of recording devices,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement posted to X. “The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems.”
“Working with our partners, as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance,” the statement continued.
Patel also released additional photos and videos recovered from the same door camera.
One video shows the masked suspect approaching the front door and messing with the camera with his gloved hand. The person then walks away and appears to pick up something off the ground. Another video shows the individual using what appears to be a branch with leaves to obstruct the camera as they tamper with it.
Savannah Guthrie shared the new footage on her Instagram, writing: “We believe she is still alive. Bring her home.” The new photos were released a day after she posted a video on Instagram on Monday, begging for the public’s help in finding her mother as an alleged ransom deadline passed.
In the video, she said her family believed her mother was “still out there” and asked for the public's help in finding her, saying that they were “at an hour of desperation, and we need your help.”
Guthrie’s family reported her missing around noon on February 1 after she did not show up for church. Her disappearance set off a massive search involving state and federal law enforcement agencies.
DNA tests showed blood on Guthrie’s front porch was a match to her, and her doorbell camera was disconnected in the early hours of Sunday morning, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said.
Multiple news outlets have received alleged ransom letters during the past week. Local CNN affiliate KGUN reports it received a ransom note demanding $6 million by Monday, a deadline that passed with no update. Meanwhile, the FBI has said it’s not aware of communication between the Guthrie family and the suspected abductors.
The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information.
Here’s what we know so far:
Who is Nancy Guthrie?
Nancy, 84, lives in Catalina Foothills, an affluent community adjacent to the desert just north of Tucson, Arizona.
She is described as a white female, approximately 5ft 5in tall, weighing about 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. It’s not known what clothing she might be wearing.
Her daughter, Savannah, is a co-host on NBC’s Today show, and her mother has occasionally appeared on the program in segments alongside her.
How long has she been missing?
Nancy Guthrie was last seen around 9:30 p.m. on the evening of Saturday, January 31, at her home near Skyline Drive and Campbell Avenue, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said.
She spent Saturday night eating dinner and playing games with family members before one of them dropped her off at her home that sits on hilly, desert terrain, the sheriff said.
She was reported missing the next day, on Sunday, February 1, after she didn’t attend her regular church service.
Sheriff Nanos revealed a more detailed timeline during the most recent press conference on Thursday.
He said Guthrie ordered an Uber and left her home at 5:32 p.m. Saturday to go to the family dinner. She returned at 9:48 p.m.
“We did speak to a driver, because Nancy, we learned, had been taken the Uber to the family residence, the daughter for dinner,” Nanos said. “And we located that driver and spoke with them.”
Her garage door opened at approximately 9:48 p.m. and closed two minutes later, which investigators believe marks the time she arrived home.
Her doorbell camera was disconnected at 1:47 a.m. Sunday. But Guthrie did not have an active subscription so the company was unable to recover any footage.
Software data recorded movement at the home minutes later, at 2:12, the sheriff said, acknowledging that the motion could have come from an animal.
At 2:28 a.m., Guthrie’s pacemaker disconnected from her phone.
Family members went to check on Guthrie at 11:56 a.m. Sunday and were unable to locate her. A 911 call was made at 12:03 p.m., and deputies arrived about 10 minutes later.
How is Nancy’s health?
Nancy Guthrie is considered a “vulnerable adult” due to her age, and Nanos said at a press conference just days after her disappearance that she was “very limited in mobility.”
“We know she didn’t just walk out there, that we know,” the sheriff said, adding that her health challenges were only physical.
“Nancy Guthrie is of great sound and mind, this is not dementia-related. She is as sharp as a tack. Her family wants everybody to know, this is not somebody that just wandered off.”
She also takes medication that, if she does not have in 24 hours, “could be fatal,” Nanos said.
In a video shared last week, Savannah Guthrie said her mother’s health is “fragile.”
“Our mom is a kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light. She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her with kisses. Her health, her heart is fragile,” she said.
Police also flagged her health issues when she initially vanished, according to a 911 dispatch audio.
“Nancy has high blood pressure, a pacemaker and cardiac issues,” the dispatcher said.
What do authorities think happened?
Police believe that Nancy Guthrie was a victim of a crime.
“At this point, investigators believe she was taken from the home against her will, possibly in the middle of the night. Taken against her will includes possible kidnapping or abduction,” Nanos said earlier this week.
There were signs of forced entry at the home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood.
NewsNation released video of dried droplets of blood on stone slabs outside her front door, leading away from the house. DNA tests later revealed belonged to Guthrie.
Who might have abducted her?
On Tuesday it was reported that a “person of interest” had been detained for questioning over Guthrie’s disappearance.
The individual was detained by officers from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI, sources briefed on the investigation told multiple outlets Tuesday.
Authorities are now preparing to search a location south of Tucson which is associated with the individual, the sources said, but added that the person had not been charged.
Speaking to Fox News Tuesday night, Kash Patel said the Bureau was looking into “persons of interest,” adding that authorities were undergoing a process of elimination with their investigations.
Patel added that “there might be persons of interest in and around the area related to this event,” and reiterated that the FBI’s first priority was finding Guthrie. “Right behind that is to find anyone and any others involved in this kidnapping case to make sure they’re brought to justice,” he said.
Despite his remarks, police have yet to publicly identify any potential suspects.
“We’ve submitted all kinds of samples for DNA, and we've gotten some back, but nothing to indicate any suspects,” Nanos told reporters Tuesday.
The sheriff said investigators have believed from the beginning that Guthrie was targeted, but they don’t know whether that was because her daughter is one of television’s most visible anchors.
Earlier this week, multiple media outlets reported receiving ransom notes demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin for Guthrie’s return.
FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke said Thursday there has been “no contact” since the ransom notes were sent to media outlets.
“The family wants to be contacted,” Janke said. “They know time is of the essence. And if those that may have Nancy are watching this, the family is ready to talk, get proof of life, because there has been no contact after that ransom note went to the media.”
However, none of the letters contained proof of life, he said. Janke said the notes contained references to a deadline and a monetary demand, as well as mentions of “an Apple Watch” and “a floodlight,” but declined to provide further details.
On Thursday, a man was arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly texting Guthrie’s family members asking about the Bitcoin that was demanded in a ransom letter sent to media outlets, according to NBC News.
This comes after an FBI agent announced officials had arrested one person in connection with an “imposter” ransom demand.
The criminal complaint, which was reviewed by NBC News, says Derrick Callella sent the family members messages after hearing about Nancy’s disappearance on TV. Callella allegedly told officials he was just "trying to see if the family would respond,” according to the complaint.
Former FBI special agent Nicole Parker, a Fox News contributor, told Hannity that Nancy had likely been taken by someone with a “deep grievance”.
“I do believe that it was someone who likely knows her, knows her very well, or knows the structure of the home very well, knows that she lived alone, had their eye on her, and had the entry and exit points of the home, and is quite familiar,” Parker said.
It was clear, Parker added, that “the home itself is the crime scene,” and investigators were withholding some details to avoid compromising the ongoing case.
“There is something about it that is very strongly driving this investigation. Law enforcement has kept that quite confidential and quiet, but there is something that they have seen that is driving the sense of urgency on this.”
On February 10, the sheriff’s department released several photos and videos from surveillance footage obtained from the doorbell camera outside Nancy Guthrie’s home.
The photos were of an “armed” suspect who appeared to have tampered with Nancy Guthrie’s doorbell camera.
FBI Director Kash Patel then released additional photos and videos recovered from the same camera.
The first video is 27 seconds long and shows the masked suspect — who police have said was “armed” — approaching the front door and interacting with the camera with his gloved hand. The individual then walks away and appears to pick up an object off the ground nearby.
Another 14-second video shows the individual using what appears to be a branch with leaves to obstruct the camera.
President Donald Trump reacted with “pure disgust” when he viewed the newly-released surveillance footage, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
“His initial reaction, of course, as all Americans, is just pure disgust. And again, it's heartbreaking to see now this footage really bring to life a story we've all been reading about,” Leavitt said.
“Again, we're just praying for the safety of Nancy Guthrie and that she will return home soon, and the president directed me to please encourage all Americans with any information to call the FBI. We hope that this case will come to a positive resolution as soon as possible,” she added.
A massive search effort
Initial search efforts covered the Catalina Foothills area, using drones, aircraft, ground crews and dog teams. The sheriff’s department said the FBI had offered assistance on the case and the U.S. Border Patrol had also assisted with dogs.
The area has seen sunny weather in recent days, though temperatures have dropped to between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night, according to AccuWeather.
Nancy’s $1 million home, located on a residential street, appears to be in a secluded area. Photos of her home show it’s surrounded by shrubbery on all sides, and some plants appear to partially block the view of her front door from the street. Her property also has a large outdoor area and a pool.
But after just two days, large-scale search efforts were called off, with Nanos noting: “Right now, we don’t see this as a search mission, as much as we do a crime scene.”
Nanos said Nancy lives in an area that’s “not well lit.” He described it as a “very suburban, rural area of the Tucson area, in a very mountainous side of town where vegetation is extremely thick.”
Deputies returned to the house multiple times in the past week for what the sheriff called a “follow-up” after the property had already been released back to the family.
What are neighbors saying?
Locals have reacted with shock and rallied to help search for Nancy.
“I just saw her two days ago [on Saturday] checking her mail,” one neighbor told Us Weekly. “She was always smiling and always asking about our family and neighbors. She was very engaged with the community. … It’s very concerning.”
Another neighbor, Morgan Brown, told the magazine that there had been “a lot of dark vans with blacked out windows” in the suburb since Nancy’s disappearance.
“There were a lot of cop cars there at first, and then it was vans, so I assumed that maybe they came across something.”
One neighbor told The Arizona Republic that officers went door to door to talk to people, asking to see any surveillance videos they had and to look through people’s backyards.
Resident Jan Henry, who lives nearby, serves as neighborhood watch lead and has been coordinating a volunteer rescue group.
"We sent out an alert to all the neighbors in our neighborhood so we could be looking for her," Henry told local news channel KGUN 9.
Who is her daughter, Savannah?
Nancy’s daughter, 54-year-old Savannah Guthrie, is a co-host on NBC’s Today show and was previously a White House correspondent.
Savannah was born in Victoria, Australia, where the family was living at the time while her father worked for an Arizona-based mining company. They returned to the U.S. two years later and settled in Tucson. Savannah’s father died when she was entering her senior year at high school.
She attended the University of Arizona thanks to her mom, who had taken a job there in order to secure tuition-free education for her children.
Savannah has spoken often about how her mother supported her in her dreams of parenthood, reassuring her that it would happen when the time was right. She now has a daughter, Vale, and a son, Charley, with her husband, Michael Feldman, whom she married in 2014.
How is the family coping?
Savannah Guthrie has asked for help to “bring her home” in the wake of her mother’s disappearance, posting a faith-based message on Instagram on February 2 to her 1.2 million followers.
“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” she wrote. “Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.”
In a video posted two days later, Savannah and her siblings – Annie and Camron Guthrie – acknowledged the reports of a ransom note and made a direct plea for proof their mother is alive. They said they were “ready to talk” and asked whoever has their mother to provide evidence of life.
“We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us,” Savannah Guthrie said while fighting off tears.
With her voice cracking, she addressed her mother directly, saying the family was praying for her and that people were looking for her.
“Mamma, if you’re listening, we need you to come home. We miss you,” Annie Guthrie added.
One day later, Camron posted his own video on behalf of his family asking the suspected kidnappers to contact them.
“Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you. We haven’t heard anything directly,” he said in the video. “We need you to reach out and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward. But first, we have to know that you have our mom. We want to talk to you and we are waiting for contact.”
Then, on Friday, the family posted another message acknowledging that contact had been made with a suspected kidnapper.
In the video, Savannah Guthrie says that her family has “received your message” and “will pay” for their mother’s safe return.
“We received your message and we understand,” the Today anchor said.
“We beg you now to return our mother to us, so that we can celebrate with her,” Guthrie said. She added that her mother is “very valuable to us” and “we will pay.”
Annie is a writer and jeweler living in Tucson, according to her biography on the Arizona Commission on the Arts website. She published Instant Gratification, a book on jewelry making, in 2001. Fourteen years later, she published The Good Dark, a book of poems.
Camron is a retired military pilot, according to a social media post Savannah shared in 2018.
“I have never been more proud of my big brother. He has flown for our country for 26 years, and continues to serve proudly in the ‘Green Mountain Boys’ - the Vermont Air National Guard,” she wrote at the time.
Savannah has been absent from the Today show all week and will not be traveling to Milan, Italy, to host the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
She had also reportedly planned to stay in Italy for a week to record NBC’s morning program with her former co-host Hoda Kotb. The Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are set to run from February 6 to 26.
An NBC Sports spokesperson said in a statement shared with The Independent, “Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time. Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother.”
Craig Melvin, who was also supposed to host Olympic Late Night from Milan from Saturday to Monday, will be staying in the U.S. as well.
What is the public reaction?
People across the U.S. are voicing their support for Savannah Guthrie and her family.
President Donald Trump spoke to Savannah Guthrie directly, offering his support. He shared a Truth Social post last week detailing his phone call.
“I spoke with Savannah Guthrie, and let her know that I am directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family’s, and Local Law Enforcement’s, complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY. We are deploying all resources to get her mother home safely. The prayers of our Nation are with her and her family. GOD BLESS AND PROTECT NANCY! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote.
New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan also offered words of support during an appearance on the Today show.
“Savannah, I am asking the Good Shepherd to find this lost sheep," he said.
Current and former colleagues of Savannah have also offered their support, with Today co-host Al Roker urging the public to help find Nancy.
“We are praying for Savannah and her family and the return of their beloved Mom, Nancy,” Roker wrote on Instagram.
NBC News’ Kristen Welker has said she is “praying” for the family. Hoda Kotb, Savannah’s former Today co-host, shared a photo of Nancy on Instagram, including the sheriff’s department's phone number, writing: “If you know anything.. pls help.”
NBC Sports Anchor Mike Tirico similarly voiced his support for the family, adding that "this is a time for caring about the people in your family, and we are holding Savannah near and dear to our heart, and we are praying for all of them.”
Fans also sent Savannah love on Instagram after she made her emotional plea for help.
“Praying for your lovely mom and your family. God is Almighty. Almighty is God,” one fan wrote.
Another wrote: “Sending you so much love and prayers.”
“We’re all praying for your beautiful Mom to return safely. Sending you and your family strength. We love you, Savannah,” a third said.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said anyone with information should contact 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME or visit tips.fbi.gov.
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