Police have detained someone for questioning in connection with Nancy Guthrie's mysterious disappearance, authorities announced late Tuesday evening.
The Pima County Sheriff's Office said the individual whose identity hasn't been released was stopped during a routine traffic stop south of Tucson earlier that day. Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed they're currently questioning this person as part of the investigation into Guthrie's case, though he didn't provide additional details. He promised to share more information as it becomes available.
This development follows the FBI's release of disturbing new footage just hours earlier. The images, pulled from Nancy Guthrie's doorbell camera, show an armed person at her Catalina Foothills home on the morning she vanished. It's still unclear whether this is the same individual police have in custody.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted the footage on social media, showing someone in a ski mask and gloves apparently messing with the camera at Guthrie's front door. The bureau managed to recover these previously hidden images from backup data stored in their systems footage that hadn't been accessible before.
Nancy Guthrie, who's the 84-year-old mother of Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie, was last seen around 9:45 on the evening of January 31st. Family members had dropped her off at home after dinner. When she didn't show up at a friend's house the next day to watch their usual online church service, alarm bells went off. Her friend reported her missing around noon on February 1st.
Things took a darker turn last week when several news organizations received a ransom note demanding $6 million in bitcoin. The note included a Monday 5 p.m. deadline, though law enforcement hasn't confirmed whether it's legitimate.
Interestingly, the FBI said late Monday they weren't aware of any communication between the Guthrie family and possible kidnappers. At that point, they also said they hadn't identified any suspects or persons of interest making Tuesday's detention particularly significant.
Savannah Guthrie shared an emotional video on Instagram Monday night, her voice breaking as she asked followers for help. "We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help," she said, as the search for her mother stretched into its second week.
Anyone who knows anything is urged to contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department at 520-351-4900 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
