The quest for answers surrounding the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie took another twist with the release of a suspect’s image by the FBI, as reported by ABC News. The image, captured by Guthrie’s doorbell camera, is believed to have been taken the day before she went missing. However, the details remain murky.
In Washington, authorities are grappling with a timeline that lacks clarity. The masked individual, who is suspected of abducting Guthrie, may have been seen at her residence prior to her disappearance. Yet, the Pima County sheriff has expressed uncertainty regarding the exact timing of the photograph, primarily because it lacks a timestamp.
The FBI’s release includes images showing a masked person both with and without a backpack, allegedly captured on the morning of Guthrie’s disappearance, Sunday, February 1st. This has added complexity to the investigation, suggesting different stages of a potential suspect’s attire.
The sheriff’s department has urged caution, emphasizing that any timeline derived from these photographs is “purely speculative.” Their statement highlighted that without a timestamp, it’s impossible to definitively determine whether the images were taken on consecutive days or during varied moments on the same day.
As the investigation proceeds, authorities are working tirelessly to piece together the mystery of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, but for now, the circumstances remain shrouded in uncertainty. The release of these images is a step forward, but the timeline remains a critical puzzle yet to be solved.
“We are aware that doorbell images released earlier in the investigation depict a suspect in different stages of attire, including with and without a backpack,” the statement reads. “There is no date or time stamp associated with these images. Therefore, any suggestion that the photographs were taken on different days is purely speculative.”
Guthrie, 84, the mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen at her home just outside Tucson on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities believe she was kidnapped, abducted or otherwise taken against her will. Drops of her blood were found on the front porch, but authorities haven’t publicly revealed much evidence.
Officials have not identified a suspect in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is leading the investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance, told 12News last week that he has no reason to believe she won’t be found alive.
“We’re going to go with faith and hope that we find Nancy … safe and sound,” Nanos told the local TEGNA station.
DNA evidence found in and around Guthrie’s home in the Catalina Foothills of Tucson is being analyzed at a private lab but has yet to produce any significant leads.
On Tuesday, DNA found on a pair of black gloves recovered 2 miles from Guthrie’s home was uploaded into CODIS, a nationwide database. It didn’t trigger any matches.
The gloves haven’t officially been linked to the case, but the FBI previously stated they appear consistent with the gloves a person was seen wearing on Guthrie’s doorbell camera video the night she disappeared.
It remains unclear whether any of the DNA collected in this case belongs to the person who appeared to be tampering with Guthrie’s doorbell camera the night of her disappearance. That video footage was brought to light last week.
“The guy in the video — that’s been our biggest, really great piece of evidence to work from,” Nanos said told 12News.
Gabriella Bachara and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
