Federal investigators in Arizona have released surveillance images and video of a masked person described as “armed” in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of US television presenter Savannah Guthrie, as authorities said a subject has since been detained for questioning following a traffic stop south of Tucson.
The material, recovered from a doorbell camera at Nancy Guthrie’s home in the Catalina Foothills area outside Tucson, shows a figure wearing a ski mask and gloves, carrying a backpack and using their hands and a yard plant to obstruct the camera’s view in the early hours of the morning she is believed to have been taken. Investigators said the camera disconnected at about 1.47am on 1 February, as the case shifted from an initial missing person inquiry into what officials have described as a suspected abduction.
In a public statement shared by law enforcement, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said authorities had uncovered “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”, urging anyone with information to contact the FBI tip line. The FBI said the footage had been retrieved through forensic efforts and assistance from private sector partners, with an FBI public affairs officer in Phoenix, Brooke Brennan, stating that “the video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems”, after investigators believed recording devices at the home had been removed.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen late on the evening of 31 January when family members dropped her off at her home at about 9.48pm, according to statements published by authorities and reported by US media. The following morning, she did not attend church as expected, prompting relatives to check on her. Her family reported her missing at about 12.15pm on 1 February, and deputies who attended the scene said early indications suggested she had not left voluntarily.
Authorities later confirmed that what appeared to be a small blood trail found at the home belonged to Guthrie. Sheriff Nanos told reporters early in the investigation that officials believed she had been taken against her will, and law enforcement emphasised the urgency of locating her because of reported health needs, including daily medication. Investigators have conducted extensive searches in the neighbourhood, including the use of drones, search dogs, and follow-up examinations of nearby properties, while appealing for any relevant footage from neighbouring cameras.
The disappearance has also been accompanied by claims of ransom demands sent to media outlets. Authorities have said they are examining the authenticity of messages purporting to be linked to the case, including a reported ransom note that referenced deadlines and demanded millions of dollars in bitcoin. Officials have also said at least one “imposter” ransom note led to an arrest unrelated to the abduction, underscoring concerns that public attention has generated false leads and opportunistic attempts to exploit the family’s distress.
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have posted multiple video appeals on social media, addressing whoever is responsible and asking for proof that their mother is alive. In one appeal described in reporting, the family said they were ready to communicate but wanted confirmation of her wellbeing. In another message, Savannah Guthrie said: “We received your message, and we understand,” before adding: “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay,” as quoted by ABC News in a timeline of the case.
As the newly released images circulated online, they prompted a wave of speculation among social media users attempting to infer details about the figure’s identity from small features visible around the eye area. Some commenters argued that the shape of the eyebrows and the appearance of the eyes suggested the person could be female, while others claimed the person’s posture or walk looked male. The viral debate was amplified by posts on Facebook and other platforms sharing cropped frames of the suspect’s face covering, with some users suggesting they could see a moustache beneath the mask or reflecting points in the eyes that they speculated might be linked to eye surgery. None of those claims have been endorsed by investigators, who have not publicly identified the person’s gender and have warned that the public should avoid spreading unverified assertions.
The core images show only a limited view: a masked person at the front door in darkness, with their face largely covered except for the eye and mouth openings of the mask. In portions of the recovered video described by authorities, the person appears to raise a gloved hand toward the camera and then pulls a plant from the yard, positioning it to block the lens. Law enforcement has said the sequence matters because it may help identify the suspect’s clothing, equipment, and movement, and because it aligns with investigators’ belief that the home’s security systems were interfered with around the time of the disappearance.
On Tuesday, as the images were being shared widely, Savannah Guthrie posted the surveillance stills on Instagram and wrote that she believed her mother was still alive, according to reporting by Business Insider. The same day, the FBI reiterated its request for tips and offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery or an arrest.
Late on Tuesday evening, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said a subject had been detained. In a statement published on social media and quoted by ABC News, the department said: “Earlier today, Pima County Sheriff’s Department deputies detained a subject during a traffic stop south of Tucson. The subject is currently being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation.” Officials did not identify the detained person or say whether they matched the masked individual in the surveillance footage, and they said further information would be released as it became available.
CBS News, citing two law enforcement sources, also reported that a person of interest had been detained in a city south of Tucson, adding that it was not immediately clear whether the detention involved the same person shown in the newly recovered images. Authorities have not disclosed Guthrie’s whereabouts or condition, and investigators have continued to ask members of the public with relevant knowledge, including sightings of suspicious activity or vehicles in the area around the time of the disappearance, to contact the FBI or the sheriff’s office.
Investigators have stressed that the release of images is intended both to generate leads and to keep attention on the case as the search continues. At the same time, law enforcement officials have faced the challenge of managing misinformation, including speculation that has spread rapidly online alongside the family’s public pleas. With Guthrie missing for more than a week and the investigation spanning local and federal agencies, officials say the most useful information will come from concrete tips, verifiable footage and witness accounts that can be tested against timelines and forensic evidence.
