Federal investigators have released newly recovered doorbell camera images and video showing a masked, armed individual at the Arizona home of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of US television presenter Savannah Guthrie, as authorities intensified a search that has stretched into a second week with no confirmed suspect publicly identified.
The still images and short clips, issued jointly by the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, show a person wearing a ski mask, gloves and a backpack approaching the front door camera at Guthrie’s residence in the Catalina Foothills area north of Tucson. The individual appears to examine the device and attempt to obstruct or dismantle it. In one of the clips described by media outlets that reviewed the footage, the person pulls at plants near the entrance and uses them in an apparent effort to block the camera’s view.
The release of the surveillance materials followed earlier briefings in which local officials said footage was initially unavailable because the home’s camera system was not actively subscribed, limiting immediate access to recordings. In a statement shared publicly by FBI Director Kash Patel, law enforcement said the new material was recovered through technical work with private-sector partners and came from “residual data located in backend systems”, describing it as “previously inaccessible” imagery that shows “an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance”.
Savannah Guthrie, a co-anchor on NBC’s Today programme, reposted the images and video on Instagram shortly after their release, renewing a public appeal for help. “We believe she is still alive. Bring her home,” she wrote, urging anyone with information to contact the FBI tip line and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. In a separate post accompanying a clip of the masked figure, she added: “Someone out there recognises this person. We believe she is still out there. Bring her home.”
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on 1 February after family members said she failed to attend church. According to officials quoted in reporting, she had been dropped off at her home the previous evening after dinner with family. Investigators have said they believe she was taken against her will during the early hours, and Sheriff Chris Nanos has previously confirmed that blood found on the exterior porch matched Nancy Guthrie’s DNA.
Authorities have also been working to establish a clearer timeline around the period when Guthrie is believed to have disappeared. In a briefing detailed by ABC News, Nanos said the doorbell camera at the home disconnected at about 1:47 a.m. on the Sunday she was reported missing. He said software later detected activity on a camera at 2:12 a.m., though there was no corresponding video available, and he noted uncertainty about whether that alert represented a person or an animal. He also referenced a later disconnect recorded by a pacemaker-related app.
The case has drawn national attention in the United States, in part because of Guthrie’s high profile and because authorities have treated the disappearance as suspicious from early on. The FBI announced on 5 February that it was jointly investigating and offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery and the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.
Public concern intensified further after reports of a ransom demand circulated. People magazine reported that an alleged ransom note was sent to local Arizona television stations and other outlets, specifying two deadlines and demanding cryptocurrency, with one demand reportedly set at $4 million in bitcoin followed by an increased demand if not paid by a later date. The FBI has said it was “not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers” after a deadline passed, according to a statement cited in reporting.
In the days after the ransom claims surfaced, the Guthrie family issued video messages directed at whoever may be holding Nancy Guthrie, urging direct contact and proof that she is alive. In a video posted on Instagram, Guthrie’s brother, Camron Guthrie, said: “Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you,” adding that the family needed “a way to communicate”. He ended by saying: “We want to talk to you, and we are waiting for contact.”
Savannah Guthrie also addressed the situation in a separate family message described by ABC News, telling viewers that the family was “ready to talk” but needed certainty that any communication was genuine. “We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her,” she said in the video, adding: “We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”
Investigators have warned that opportunists may attempt to exploit the public attention surrounding the case. ABC News reported that federal authorities made an arrest connected to what they described as an “imposter ransom demand”. The suspect, identified in the report as Derrick Callella, was accused of sending messages seeking bitcoin from members of the Guthrie family. The complaint cited by ABC said he used a fake phone number and later admitted sending the messages, while investigators said he was not linked to the original ransom demand received by a Tucson media outlet. FBI Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke issued a warning in response, saying: “To those imposters who are trying to take advantage and profit from this situation, we will investigate and ensure you are held accountable for your actions.”
The newly released images have also fuelled speculation online about the identity of the masked figure, with some social media users focusing on details around the eyes and eyebrows visible through the ski mask. Authorities have not endorsed any such claims publicly and have continued to ask for actionable tips from anyone who recognises the person’s clothing, build or behaviour.
In parallel, officials have maintained that the investigation remains active and wide-ranging. ABC News quoted Janke as saying investigators were reviewing “all digital sources” and building a picture from data points across multiple systems. The same report said Google, which owns Nest home security cameras, confirmed it was assisting law enforcement, while declining to give further detail because of the ongoing investigation.
As the search continued, The Guardian reported that Pima County deputies detained a person during a traffic stop and that the individual was being questioned in connection with the investigation, though no further details were immediately available and it was not clear whether the detention was linked to the masked figure captured in the newly recovered footage.
For the Guthrie family, the release of the images has been presented as both a new lead and a renewed appeal to the public. In one of her posts, Savannah Guthrie stressed her belief that her mother is still alive and urged anyone who recognises the individual to contact authorities. Police have echoed that message, saying the investigation depends on the public coming forward with a specific piece of information that may connect the figure on camera to a name, a vehicle, or a location.
Officials have urged anyone with information to contact the FBI tip line and local investigators, while emphasising that the case remains fluid and that not all reported claims, including details of ransom communications, have been fully corroborated publicly.
