The FBI, led by Director Kash Patel, is actively pursuing several individuals who may have information regarding the mysterious disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.
In a conversation with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Patel revealed that the agency has made “significant strides” in the past 48 hours. This progress follows the FBI’s release of images from surveillance footage showing a person near the 84-year-old’s Tucson residence on the night she went missing.
“In any investigation, everyone is a person of interest until they are cleared or identified as the responsible party. That’s the phase we’re currently in,” Patel explained, as reported by the New York Post. “We’re committed to maintaining the investigation’s integrity while also being transparent with the public.”
An individual known only as Carlos was briefly detained during a traffic stop in Tucson, only to be released shortly thereafter. According to his mother-in-law, Carlos was delivering food at the time of his detention, coinciding with a raid on her home by law enforcement.
“I hope they catch the real suspect because I’m not involved,” Carlos stated to reporters outside his mother-in-law’s residence in Rio Rico, approximately 65 miles from Guthrie’s Tucson home.
Carlos was taken into custody shortly after the FBI shared surveillance images showing a person near Guthrie’s home around the time of her disappearance on January 31. Concern for her safety arose the next day when Guthrie missed a planned meeting at a friend’s house to attend virtual church services.
Tucson television station KOLD fully identified Carlos, but CrimeOnline will not do so to provide some measure of safety for him since he was not charged with any crime and was released. His mother-in-law also said Carlos was not involved in the kidnapping.
“They had somebody give a tip that the lady was in my house,” the woman said. “I told them you can go in and search my house; there is nobody there. I have nothing to hide.”
She said Carlos was driving her daughter’s vehicle when police stopped him and took him into custody and said she told them Carlos doesn’t own any of the clothing or other items seen in surveillance footage.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told KOLD that a medical helicopter that left the Rio Rico area Tuesday night had nothing to do with the case.
In addition to locating Guthrie, police are investigating two ransom notes that were reportedly sent to local news outlets. One of the notes demanded millions in Bitcoin in exchange for Guthrie’s return.
As of Wednesday, officials have not named any suspects, and no arrests have been made.
