TUCSON, AZ — Authorities detained and later released a man connected to the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, and he says the experience was frightening. He was not charged and is not facing any law enforcement restrictions, according to officials familiar with the case.
The man told KNXV, ABC’s Phoenix affiliate, that he was stopped in Rio Rico and questioned by law enforcement. He said officers did not explain what was happening at the start of the encounter. The detention came as investigators continued to follow leads in the Tucson-area case and review newly released images of a masked subject at Guthrie’s front door.
Man says he was stopped in Rio Rico and questioned for hours
The man identified himself as Carlos and said he works in Tucson delivering packages. He told KNXV that the stop turned into a long detention in which he was questioned about basic identifying information, including his first and last name, date of birth and Social Security number.
He described the encounter as “terrifying” and said he was not told much about why he was being held. Asked whether he may have delivered a package to Guthrie’s home, he said it was possible, but he did not know for sure. He was eventually released without charges after several hours of questioning.
According to law enforcement sources, the man had already been on the radar of the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department before the latest public release of video in the case. Investigators have not publicly identified him as a suspect.
FBI used electronic clues before a search warrant was approved
Law enforcement sources said the FBI identified the man through electronic investigative tools, including information tied to cell phone use and traffic data. Officials did not spell out the exact methods used, but those leads were enough to support further steps in the case.
A judge in Santa Cruz County approved a warrant for a search of the man’s home, and that search was carried out overnight. The man was later questioned for several hours before being released. Investigators have not said that the search produced an arrest or any charges.
The case has drawn intense attention because Guthrie is the mother of Savannah Guthrie, the co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” show. The renewed activity around the home search and detention added another layer to an already closely watched investigation in southern Arizona.
Investigators are dissecting every frame of the newly released video
Federal investigators are studying the video released Tuesday frame by frame, looking for anything that could identify the person seen approaching Guthrie’s front door. That includes details about the apparent weapon, the backpack and the clothing worn by the masked subject.
The footage shows someone at Guthrie’s Tucson-area home around the time investigators believe she was abducted on Feb. 1. The images show a masked person wearing gloves and carrying a backpack, with a holstered handgun visible at the door.
Authorities have not said whether the person in the video is the same individual who was detained in Rio Rico. Investigators are still treating the clip as one of the most important pieces of evidence in the case.
Searches spread across the neighborhood as tips keep coming in
Investigators have also been moving through Guthrie’s neighborhood as they continue to follow public and private tips. In one separate search, officers went to a home after someone reported that Guthrie was there, according to a woman who said she owns the property.
That woman told KNXV she had nothing to hide and invited police to search. She said the detained man was her son-in-law but insisted he had nothing to do with Guthrie’s disappearance.
Authorities have not confirmed the tip or explained how it fit into the broader investigation. Still, the pace of searches and questioning suggests detectives are testing every lead as they try to locate Guthrie and determine what happened to her.
Savannah Guthrie posts the images while officials press for answers
After the FBI released the new images, Savannah Guthrie posted them on Instagram with a message asking for help bringing her mother home. The post said, “We believe she is still alive. Bring her home.”
Retired FBI agent Brad Garrett told “Good Morning America” that high-profile investigations often generate this kind of wave of tips. He said such leads can recur, but they can also be the ones that help resolve a case.
For now, investigators are sorting through a fast-moving mix of video analysis, tips, a home search and a detention that ended without charges. Officials have not announced a breakthrough, and the search for answers remains active.
