Authorities have released a man after questioning him in connection with the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, following the release of new surveillance footage seemingly depicting an armed person at her residence.
WASHINGTON — According to multiple news sources, law enforcement briefly detained a man to question him about the mysterious case involving Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “TODAY” show host Savannah Guthrie. The man was subsequently released, with the incident drawing considerable public attention.
Although officials have not disclosed his identity, the man was stopped by police during a traffic check late Tuesday in Rio Rico, a small town located roughly an hour south of Tucson, close to the U.S.-Mexico border.
The man, who later identified himself as “Carlos” in interviews with the New York Times and other media outlets, claimed he had no knowledge of either Savannah Guthrie or her mother, Nancy.
“I don’t keep up with the news,” Carlos remarked upon his release, maintaining a stance of disconnection from the story.
Carlos mentioned that detectives had him wait for several hours but did not ask him any questions specifically about the alleged kidnapping before letting him go.
“I hope you get the suspect, because I’m not it,” he said. “They better do their job and find the suspect that did it so they can clear my name.”
CNN and NBC have both reported that the man was released without being charged, citing people familiar with the investigation.
The sheriff’s office said it was also conducting a court-authorized search Tuesday night in Rio Rico, located about an hours south of Tucson, alongside the FBI’s Evidence Response Team. That search was expected to take several hours.
The detention and subsequent release of the man happened just hours after authorities released new footage that appeared to show an armed individual, who reportedly tampered with the surveillance camera at Nancy Guthrie’s home on the morning of her disappearance.
The collection of photos and videos released Tuesday afternoon appears to show a person putting their hand in front of the door cam at Nancy Guthrie’s house, then grabbing some kind of plant from the front yard and sticking it in front of the lens, presumably to block the view.
No confirmed suspects yet
The FBI said as recently as Monday that it has not identified any suspects or persons of interest in the investigation.
Investigators believe Guthrie was taken against her will from her Arizona home around 2 a.m. local time, citing the timeline of when camera systems and other electronics in her home were taken offline.
Her blood was found on her porch, and security cameras were disabled, leaving no video evidence of what happened.
Over the week and a half that Nancy Guthrie has been missing, numerous news organizations have reported receiving alleged ransom notes from the person or people responsible for the disappearance. While the FBI was able to confirm one was a fraudulent note and arrested the sender, the family believes some of the others may be legitimate.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed last week that a pair of notes sent to different TV stations contained info not disclosed to the public, although the FBI has not authenticated them.
Despite the lack of official authentication, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings say they’re willing to pay the person or persons responsible for her disappearance in exchange for their mother’s safe return. In a series of videos, the Guthrie siblings have tried to reach out, urging those responsible to send proof of life.
FBI offers $50,000 reward as disappearance stretches into second week
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward to anyone who helps bring Guthrie home or provides information that leads to an arrest in the case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact 1-800-CALL FBI.
A ransom note had indicated a 5 p.m. deadline Monday for the family to deliver an unspecified amount of money for Nancy’s return, but that deadline passed without any indication that the ransom had been paid or that there had been any sighting of Nancy. Shortly after, Savannah Guthrie posted a video to her Instagram pleading for the public’s help.
In her video message, Guthrie thanked people for the love they have felt during this time. Guthrie added that she and her siblings believe her mom is still out there.
“She was taken, and we don’t know where,” Guthrie described.
“We need your help,” Guthrie told viewers. She encouraged people, including those outside the Arizona area, to report anything they see or hear that’s strange to law enforcement.
