Where things stand
• Day 11 of the search: Arizona law enforcement officials say they’ve received more than 4,000 calls in the past 24 hours regarding the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. The calls came after the FBI released doorbell camera footage yesterday from Guthrie’s front door taken the morning she disappeared.
• Detained person speaks out: A man who said he was detained yesterday for questioning and later released says he wants to clear his name. A search warrant connected to man’s property is sealed.
• New letter: TMZ reported it received a “bizarre letter” via email this morning from someone purporting to know who Guthrie’s kidnapper is and demanding a single Bitcoin in exchange for the information. The email was handed over to the FBI, the media outlet said.
• Submit your questions: Tonight on CNN, Laura Coates will present a live one-hour special, “The Search For Nancy Guthrie.” The special will air on CNN and CNN All Access at 11 p.m. ET. Send us your questions about the case.
What we learned today about the investigation into Guthrie's abduction
Investigators are sifting through a flood of calls as they race to find Nancy Guthrie.
Officials are also searching in new places across the area after a person was detained and released last night.
Here’s what we learned this afternoon:
- Flood of tips: Nearly 18,000 calls related to the Guthrie case have come through to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department’s tip line since she was reported missing February 1, the department said. FBI agents are searching around Guthrie’s house for any items the person seen on her doorbell camera may have dropped, a law enforcement source familiar with the case told CNN.
- Man questioned: The sheriff’s department said it detained and released a man last night as “part of follow-up on incoming leads.” The man was known to investigators before the doorbell camera was made public, a law enforcement official familiar with the case told CNN.
- What he has said: The man, who identified himself as Carlos, told reporters outside his home that he wanted to “clear my name.” Investigators told him “that my eyes and my eyelashes looked the same” as the person in the video from Guthrie’s home, he said. He told CNN affiliate KNXV that he was questioned for several hours.
- Where else investigators are searching: Investigators have completed a search of a property in Rio Rico, the sheriff’s department said. A woman previously told CNN that it was her home and authorities were investigating her son-in-law. There has been no activity today around the man’s home and the search warrant connected to him is sealed.
- New letter: TMZ reported it received a letter this morning from someone purporting to know who Guthrie’s kidnapper is and demanding a single bitcoin in exchange for that information. TMZ says it has handed the new email note over to the FBI. There is currently a $50,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Guthrie.
- “Persons of interest”: The FBI is looking at multiple “persons of interest” in the case, according to the agency’s director, Kash Patel. He did not say who might be under suspicion, but said authorities were going through the process of elimination.
What do you want to know? Submit your questions about the case here and CNN’s Laura Coates will answer them during a live one-hour special tonight.
From CNN’s Josh Campbell, Norma Galeana, Andy Rose, Chris Boyette, Rebekah Riess, Devon Sayers and Amanda Musa contributed reporting to this post.
Do you have questions about the investigation? CNN's Laura Coates will answer them tonight
Tonight on CNN, Laura Coates will present a live one-hour special, “The Search For Nancy Guthrie.” The special will air on CNN and CNN All Access at 11 p.m. ET.
The special will include fresh reporting from the Tucson, Arizona, crime scene and analysis from former top FBI officials, profilers and forensic analysts.
Coates and her team will also be answering questions about the investigation. You can submit yours in the form below:
Man detained last night was on investigators' radar before release of images, source says
Officials were already looking into the man they detained last night when they publicly released video and photos of a person tampering with Nancy Guthrie’s front door camera earlier in the day, a law enforcement official familiar with the case told CNN.
The man, who identified himself as Carlos, “was the subject of a lead that they had been working on prior to the release of the video and that information was developed to the point where they felt, let’s get him in, let’s sit him down and have a conversation,” CNN’s chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller said.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said today in a statement it detained a man for questioning and that he was released. It is not identifying the man because he was not charged, the statement said.
“This detention was part of follow-up on incoming leads,” the sheriff’s department said.
Some more context: Carlos was questioned from about 4 p.m. to midnight, he previously told CNN affiliate KXNV.
The sheriff’s department and FBI have declined to comment on Carlos’ account or confirm he is the man who the sheriff’s department said was detained for questioning yesterday.
Nearly 18,000 calls received in Guthrie case since disappearance, Pima Co. sheriff says
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department says thousands of tips related to the Nancy Guthrie case have flooded its tip line in recent days, according to a Wednesday update.
PCSD received nearly 18,000 calls since Sunday, February 1 — the day Guthrie was reported missing, a statement said.
More than 4,000 of those calls have come in the last 24 hours, the update said.
County officials thanked the public for their commitment to providing leads as hundreds of detectives and agents work the case, the statement continued.
In the same update, officials said the man questioned yesterday was “part of follow-up on incoming leads.”
“As with any investigation, we do not release the identities of individuals who are detained and later released without charges,” the statement said.
Search warrant for property of man detained for questioning is sealed
The search warrant connected to a man detained for questioning yesterday in the investigation of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is sealed, according to the clerk of the Pima County Superior Court.
The man, who has identified himself as Carlos, told reporters today he has a copy of the warrant, but he declined to share it.
Carlos said he was held for questioning for eight hours as his home and vehicle were searched before he was released. Investigators have not commented on his account or confirmed his identity.
No charges have been filed in the case, and the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have not identified any suspects.
Man detained yesterday by investigators says he wants to clear his name
A man in Rio Rico, Arizona, who says he was detained yesterday for questioning in the investigation of Nancy’s Guthrie disappearance spoke to reporters outside his home again today.
Asked what he wants following the interrogation, the man who identified himself as Carlos responded, “To clear my name. That’s all I want.”
Carlos said his mother-in-law was told by an investigator he was stopped Tuesday as a result of an anonymous tip following yesterday’s release of Nest camera video from Nancy Guthrie’s home.
“They said that my eyes and my eyelashes looked the same,” he said.
Carlos said he was shocked when the investigators told him why they wanted to question him regarding his recent whereabouts.
“It’s about a kidnapping,” Carlos said an FBI agent told him, to which he said he responded, “What the f**k? I didn’t kidnap no one.”
Carlos said after questioning him and searching his home and vehicle, investigators gave no indication they planned to return. He said he was questioned from about 4 p.m. to midnight, as he previously told CNN affiliate KXNV.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI have declined to comment on Carlos’ account or confirm he is the man who the sheriff’s department said was detained for questioning yesterday.
FBI searching roads near Nancy Guthrie’s house looking for evidence linked to person seen on doorbell camera
Numerous FBI agents are “conducting an extensive search” along the roads near Nancy Guthrie’s home in Catalina Foothills, the unincorporated community north of Tucson, Arizona, the FBI said Wednesday.
Agents and officers are searching for any items the person seen on doorbell camera video may have discarded, a law enforcement source familiar with the case told CNN.
“We appreciate the assistance and support we have received from the Tucson community,” the FBI said.
It has been almost a week since authorities briefed the media on the search for Nancy Guthrie
There are no news conferences planned regarding the search for Nancy Guthrie, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said today, marking nearly a week since authorities have briefed the media.
Guthrie disappeared 11 days ago.
Authorities’ last briefing was February 5. The sheriff’s office said it will call a news conference “should a significant development occur.”
TMZ says it received note demanding Bitcoin for information on Guthrie's kidnapper
TMZ is reporting it received a “bizarre letter” via email earlier this morning from someone purporting to know who Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapper is and demanding a single Bitcoin in exchange for that information.
TMZ, along with CNN affiliates KOLD and KGUN, also received the initial ransom notes for Nancy Guthrie.
“They are not saying they are the kidnappers. They are saying they know who the kidnapper is and will give that information up for one Bitcoin,” TMZ founder Harvey Levin told Fox News this morning.
“They said they want one Bitcoin sent to a Bitcoin address that we have confirmed is active, a real address. And as they put it, time is ‘more than relevant,’” Levin added.
“There is a $50,000 reward for information leading to the kidnappers or for the recovery of Nancy Guthrie. You could do that by calling that number and providing the information and qualifying for the reward,” CNN’s chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller said. “Coming at this sideways, and using the anonymity of an anonymous email and the anonymity of ‘pay me and then I’ll tell you,’ leaves no guarantee.”
A single Bitcoin is currently worth around $66,000.
TMZ says it has handed the new email note over to the FBI.
When asked by CNN about the new note, the FBI said, “Outside of our previously issued statements, we have no updates to share at this time.”
TMZ reports it received the note just before 8 a.m. ET, and the sender claims to have unsuccessfully tried to reach Savannah Guthrie’s brother and sister via email and text.
CNN has not been able to independently verify the existence or authenticity of the note and has reached out to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department for comment.
Makeshift display shows support for Nancy Guthrie's return as case enters day 11
A makeshift tribute outside of Nancy Guthrie’s home shows support for the family as the investigation into her abduction enters its 11th day.
It has been growing throughout the afternoon as people come by and add more to the display. There are now several arrangements of yellow roses and other flowers in vases.
A CNN crew at the scene this morning saw a man leaving pink flowers next to the candles and signs reading ‘Please pray” and “Your neighbors stand with you.” The makeshift display has grown by a few items since a couple days ago.
Investigators have still not been able to locate the mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie, a law enforcement source told CNN.
Authorities have encouraged anyone with information or tips to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, 88-CRIME, 520-351-4900, or tips.fbi.gov.
This post has bene updated with new details about the tribute.
Releasing images can alert the suspect, but it's necessary to get leads, CNN analyst says
While releasing images and videos, like the ones of the masked person outside of Nancy Guthrie’s home, can alert the suspect in the case, the payoff is putting those images in front of more people, according to CNN senior law enforcement analyst Charles Ramsey.
No law enforcement activity seen today at home of man briefly detained in Guthrie investigation
After Tuesday’s whirlwind of activity in the investigation of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, the scene is quiet this morning outside the home of the man who was briefly detained for questioning by investigators yesterday.
On a serene street in Rio Rico, Arizona, the wrought iron gates were closed to the driveway of the house occupied by a man who identified himself to reporters as Carlos. He told CNN affiliate KNXV he was questioned about his whereabouts for four hours Tuesday and then released.
No law enforcement vehicles were seen in the neighborhood this morning. A delivery van with a name matching the company Carlos said he works for was parked along the street next to the home.
Carlos told reporters yesterday he may have delivered something to Nancy Guthrie’s home at some point but did not know who she is and had no involvement in her disappearance.
Investigators acknowledged detaining a “subject” for questioning yesterday but have not commented on the account given by Carlos.
Why did it take the FBI so long to get video footage from Nancy Guthrie’s home
Obtaining video footage of a masked man outside Nancy Guthrie’s home, a major breakthrough in the case, largely came down to Google’s technical expertise, a person familiar with the investigation told CNN.
The FBI released the images within hours of obtaining them, an official said on X. However, the process was so technically complex that investigators were unsure if it would be successful, the source said.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos initially said there was “no video available” because Guthrie “had no subscription” to Google’s video recording service, which keeps videos from Nest cameras accessible in Google’s cloud.
Yesterday, FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on social media that authorities, “working closely with our private sector partners,” recovered some video “from residual data located in backend systems” in the Guthrie case.
Read more about how the video was recovered.
Patel says FBI investigating “persons of interest” in Guthrie case
FBI agents are looking at more than one individual as a “person of interest” in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the bureau’s director, Kash Patel, told Fox News last night.
Patel did not elaborate on who might be under suspicion, but said authorities were undergoing a process to eliminate anyone who may not actually be involved.
Patel said the FBI’s outreach to the private sector has shown “there might be persons of interest in and around the area related to this event.”
The FBI’s first priority is finding Guthrie, Patel said, and “right behind that is to find anyone and any others involved in this kidnapping case to make sure they’re brought to justice.”
Learn more about the latest on the investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance.
Here's what's happened since video of a masked man outside Guthrie's home was released
There have been an number of developments since the FBI yesterday released doorbell camera footage from outside Nancy Guthrie’s front door, showing a masked, armed person.
Here’s what’s new this morning:
- “Persons of interest”: FBI Director Kash Patel yesterday said the agency is looking at “persons of interest” in the case. He did not say who might be under suspicion, but said authorities were going through the process of elimination.
- Person detained near the border: A subject was stopped “during a traffic stop south of Tucson,” and was questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in an X post. The person, questioned overnight, was detained near the border, in Rio Rico, a law enforcement official added.
- Search warrant: Investigators completed their search of a property in Rio Rico, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said. A woman previously told CNN that it was her home that was being searched and that authorities were investigating her son-in-law.
- Detained person released: A man, who identified himself to the The New York Times only as Carlos, says he was released without charges after being detained for questioning in the investigation and told reporters he was shocked at being connected to the case. “I hope they get the suspect, because I’m not it,” Carlos told reporters as he returned home, according to a video from New York Times reporter Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs. Carlos told CNN affiliate KNXV that as a delivery driver, he might have delivered a package to Guthrie’s home, but he didn’t know her.
CNN’s Helen Regan and Jessie Yeung contributed to this reporting.
Man released after being detained for questioning in Guthrie case speaks to reporters
A man, who identified himself to the The New York Times only as Carlos, says he was released without charges after being detained for questioning in the Nancy Guthrie investigation and told reporters he was shocked at being connected to the case.
“I hope they get the suspect, because I’m not it. They better do their job and find the suspect that did it so they can clear my name, and I’m done,” Carlos told reporters as he returned home, according to a video from New York Times reporter Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs. “Look at what I’m putting my family through. Not just them, even my parents in Tucson,” he adds, gesturing to the home behind him.
The man told CNN affiliate KNXV that he was held in custody from around 4 p.m. to after midnight, and was asked questions “like where I was, what hours,” before being told, “I’m free to go.”
Tuesday night, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said a man had been detained for questioning and they were executing a search warrant at a location in Rio Rico, Arizona. Hours later, the sheriff’s department said the search was completed but did not provide an update on the person detained for questioning.
The man who was questioned has not been identified by authorities. The FBI referred questions about him to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, which CNN has contacted for comment.
When asked how he felt after investigators told him why he’d been detained as part of the Guthrie investigation, Carlos answers: “What the f**k am I doing here? I didn’t do anything. To be honest, I’m innocent.”
Carlos told KNXV that as a delivery driver, he might have delivered a package to Guthrie’s home, but he didn’t know her.
Asked by a reporter if he had ever heard Nancy Guthrie’s name before, he responded: “Never until today.”
Abductions of older Americans are rare, statistics show
The abduction of Nancy Guthrie has brought national attention to the kidnapping of older Americans, but FBI statistics show such cases are rare, especially for adults over 50.
In 2025, there were more than 49,000 cases of abductions and kidnappings in the United States, according to the FBI. Victims 50 and older accounted for only 10% of those cases.
There were only 145 cases in Guthrie’s age group — 80 to 89 years old — according to statistics. Guthrie, who is 84, is without critical medication as the search continues, officials said. Law enforcement has emphasized that her age and health concerns make finding her quickly especially important.
Yesterday, officials released a video showing a person tampering with Guthrie’s front door camera before she was reported missing. Her family did not recognize the individual, according to NBC.
This is another factor that makes the Guthrie case so uncommon. Most abductions do not involve strangers; only about 9% of all kidnappings and abductions last year were committed by someone unknown to the victim, according to the FBI.
Separately, the NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics report for 2024 found that of 258,849 missing persons cases that year, only 4% involved adults.
A vast majority — 95% — were runaways, according to the report. About 0.9% were classified as abductions by a non-custodial parent, and 0.1% as abductions by a stranger, the statistics show.
How AI can help identify person in video at Nancy Guthrie’s house
CNN’s Erin Burnett talks to AI expert Kristian Hammond about how technology will be used to identify the person who abducted Nancy Guthrie.
CNN’s Erin Burnett talks to AI expert Kristian Hammond about how technology will be used to identify the person who abducted Nancy Guthrie.
How you can contact authorities if you have tips
Officials have outlined several ways people can contact law enforcement if they have any actionable tips regarding the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie: 1-800-CALL-FBI, 88-CRIME, 520-351-4900, or tips.fbi.gov.
After the FBI released new surveillance video showing a masked person at Guthrie’s front door the night she disappeared, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department asked the public only call 911 or their non-emergency line if they have actionable tips. Those lines, they said, the are “not the appropriate venue” for “opinions or commentary.”
The person questioned over Nancy Guthrie's disappearance has been released. Here's the latest
Authorities have released a person who was being questioned in Rio Rico, about 60 miles south of Tucson near the Mexico border, according to CNN affiliate KNXV. Law enforcement also searched a car and a home in the town.
Authorities have still not been able to locate the mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie, a law enforcement source told CNN.
Here’s a timeline of all the developments since her disappearance.
Here’s what we know:
- Detained person released: The person released by law enforcement after being detained for questioning was stopped during a traffic stop in Rio Rico. The man said “he didn’t even know who this woman (Nancy Guthrie) was, that he works as a delivery driver,” CNN affiliate KNXV reporter Lillian Donahue told CNN’s Rosemary Church.
- Search warrant: Investigators have completed their search of a property in Rio Rico, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said. A woman previously told CNN that it was her home that was being searched and that authorities were investigating her son-in-law.
- “Persons of interest”: Earlier on Tuesday, FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency is looking at “persons of interest” in the case. He did not say who might be under suspicion, but said authorities were going through the process of elimination.
- Door cam footage: Also on Tuesday, the FBI released doorbell camera footage from outside Guthrie’s front door taken the night she disappeared, showing a masked, armed person. Engineers at Google, which owns the doorbell camera maker Nest, were able to recover data after several days.
