Suspect approached Nancy Guthrie’s door before the night of her disappearance, source says
The masked person seen on the doorbell camera footage of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home the morning she is believed to have been kidnapped was also at her doorstep on another night, a source tells CNN, another clue in the exhaustive, multi-week search for the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.
The photos and video of the masked person on Guthrie’s doorstep – released by the FBI on February 10 – were taken on two different days, rather than just on February 1, when authorities believe she was abducted, the source said. That’s because the masked suspect is not wearing a backpack in one of them, according to the source.
ABC News first reported the suspect appears to have been at her door before February 1.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Monday “there is no date or time stamp associated with these images” and “any suggestion that the photographs were taken on different days is purely speculative.” It added the investigation is ongoing and “conclusions will be guided by verifiable evidence and established facts.” CNN reached out to the FBI Phoenix office for comment.
Guthrie disappeared from her secluded Tucson home after she was last seen on January 31. Local, state and federal law enforcement surged to the area and have spent over three weeks scouring the unruly desert landscape for Guthrie or any evidence that could bring her back home.
Residents in Guthrie’s neighbourhood were previously asked by the sheriff’s department to submit video as far back as January 1, but specifically focusing on two dates – January 11 between 9pm and midnight, and January 31 between 9.30am and 11am The sheriff’s department specifically requested footage that includes cars, traffic, people or pedestrians, or anything that feels out of the ordinary or important.
The FBI released video and photos of a masked, armed man tampering with Guthrie’s doorbell camera the morning of her disappearance, producing thousands of tips in the process. The suspect is described as male, approximately 5’9″ – 5’10” tall and having an average build, according to the FBI.
From that video, investigators were able to identify the man was wearing an Ozark backpack, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, but are still trying to identify other items and where they might have been purchased.
Some investigators have visited gun shops in the Tucson area as the suspect in the video is seen wearing a gun holster that the sheriff said “had some pretty unique characteristics”.
In addition to the request to those living in the area, authorities have canvassed residences, businesses and government agencies for surveillance video to identify any possible indication of where Guthrie may have been taken, a law enforcement official familiar with the case says.
Investigators continue to review “thousands of hours” of video obtained from the greater Tucson area, the source added.
They also continue to run lab analysis on DNA found at Guthrie’s house, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Thursday (local time). DNA on gloves found 2 miles (3.2km) from the home, one of approximately 16 gloves found in the search to comb the area surrounding Guthrie’s home, did not return any matches in the national database known as CODIS, and doesn’t match DNA found the house, either, Nanos said.
Law enforcement has also detained, and later released, two people as part of the investigation, the sheriff’s department previously said.
Despite these developments, investigators have no leading theory about a motive, according to a source. But authorities say they believe Guthrie was removed from the home against her will, and the sheriff said authorities have not ruled out the possibility more than one person may have been involved.
But the search persists. As recently as Saturday, detectives and agents were back canvassing in Guthrie’s neighborhood, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said, although it didn’t share details of what spurred the return.
Her children, including Savannah Guthrie, have repeatedly pleaded for her return. They have taken to social media in several videos in an attempt to address purported ransom notes sent to several media outlets, as well as asking the public for help in her search. Despite the reports of the ransom, neither the family nor law enforcement have confirmed if they were real or if they made contact with the sender.
The sheriff has said that none of the family members, including siblings and spouses, are possible suspects in the case.
There are currently two rewards available for information related to Guthrie – one of up to US$102,500 (NZ$171,862) for information leading to an arrest in the case from 88-Crime, the Pima County and Tucson affiliate of the national Crime Stoppers organization, and an FBI reward of up to US$100,000 (NZ$167,671).
Masked Suspect Visited Nancy Guthrie’s Home Before Her Abduction? Doorbell Footage Raises Question
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have made repeated attempts to contact the alleged kidnappers, who may have sent ransom notes demanding billions in bitcoin.
In a major lead in the abduction case of Nancy Guthrie, investigators believe the masked suspect seen on her doorbell camera may have visited her Tucson home before she was taken.
As per reports, investigators think that the masked intruder, featured in home surveillance footage released by the FBI, may have approached the property sometime before February 1, the day the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie was abducted.
Doorbell footage under scrutiny
The sources pointed to a still image released by the FBI showing the suspect at Guthrie’s front door without a backpack. That image was reportedly captured on a different day from the morning of her disappearance.
The FBI had also released images of the suspect wearing a backpack from “the morning of [Guthrie’s] disappearance.”
One theory shared with ABC News suggests the suspect first approached the door but was frightened off by the camera. He allegedly returned later, tampered with the device and obscured the lens with branches.
However, others have speculated that the man without the backpack may be different from the suspect who blocked the camera.
Officials urge caution
So far, no suspect has been identified.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed it was aware that the released images show a suspect in different stages of attire, including with and without a backpack. However, the department said there is no date or time stamp linked to the images.
In a statement, officials cautioned that any suggestion the photographs were taken on different days is purely speculative and that speculation without factual support does not help the investigation.
The FBI has been contacted for further information.
Search enters third week
The search for Guthrie entered its third week on Sunday.
A group of volunteers recovered a suspicious Swiss Gear-brand bag from a storm drain near Guthrie’s home. The drain is known to double as a homeless encampment.
Investigators said the backpack did not appear to match the one worn by the masked suspect, which was identified as a black Ozark Trail Hiker backpack sold exclusively at Walmart.
Ransom notes and ongoing probe
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have made repeated attempts to contact the alleged kidnappers, who may have sent ransom notes demanding billions in bitcoin. Their pleas have gone unanswered.
A fourth ransom note was sent to TMZ last week. The tabloid’s founder responded by telling the sender to provide the information to the FBI if they wanted payment.
Despite no major breakthroughs since early February, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said between 300 and 400 personnel remain assigned to the case, with staffing levels unchanged.
Evidence is still being examined, including blood traces found at Guthrie’s home. Sheriff Chris Nanos warned that analysing the DNA could take up to a year.
Nancy Guthrie Case Twist: Second Suspect Caught On Ring Camera? ‘Blood On Rock Found Near…’
The investigation into the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie, has entered a critical phase as authorities explore the possibility of multiple suspects. More than three weeks after she was abducted from her Tucson home, newly released doorbell footage and still images suggest the masked intruder may not have acted alone. Investigators are examining physical evidence recovered near the scene, including gloves, backpacks, a gun holster, and what appears to be a pinky ring visible in surveillance footage. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and local authorities continue to pursue leads, but no arrests have been announced. With ransom efforts reportedly underway and questions mounting, the case remains one of the most closely watched investigations in Arizona.
Volunteers are scouring the desert for Nancy Guthrie. Police want them to stop
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of ‘Today’ co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on Jan. 31
Credit : Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty; FBI Phoenix/X
There is “no evidence” that the masked man captured on doorbell camera footage at Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home visited there before the day the 84-year-old is believed to have been kidnapped, the Pima County sheriff tells PEOPLE.
There had been reports on Monday, Feb. 23 that the man seen in the footage may have come to Nancy’s house before Feb. 1.
“There is no evidence to support that… and there is no evidence to support it was all on the same day,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos tells PEOPLE on Monday. “It is speculative at best and remains part of an ongoing investigation.”
On Feb. 10, the FBI released photos and video of the masked person on Guthrie’s doorstep. They have not been confirmed to show activity from two different days, including on Feb. 1, when authorities believe she was abducted.
Nanos also addressed questions about whether the masked suspect may have returned on a different day.
“It could be accurate,” Nanos says about the masked suspect returning on a different day, because he’s not wearing a backpack or gun holster with a weapon in one of them. “We just don’t have evidence to support when each image was taken… There is no date or timestamp and we are still investigating it.”
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department also released a statement on Monday, emphasizing the same uncertainty.
“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. 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,” officials said.
“This remains an active and ongoing criminal investigation,” officials continued. “As with any investigation, conclusions will be guided by verifiable evidence and established facts. Speculation, without factual support, does not advance the investigative process.”
Guthrie vanished from her secluded Tucson, Ariz., home after she was last seen on Jan. 31. Since then, local, state and federal authorities have flooded the area, spending nearly a month combing the rugged desert terrain for any sign of her or clues that could lead investigators to answers.
Residents in Guthrie’s neighborhood were previously asked by the sheriff’s department to submit surveillance footage dating back to Jan. 1, with particular focus on two windows of time between Jan. 11 at 9 p.m. and midnight, and Jan. 31 between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Authorities specifically requested video showing cars, traffic, pedestrians or anything unusual.
The FBI later released footage and images of a masked, armed man tampering with Guthrie’s doorbell camera the morning of her disappearance, a development that generated over 20,000 tips. The suspect is described as a man approximately 5’9” to 5’10” tall with an average build.
Investigators determined from the footage that the individual was wearing an Ozark backpack, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Detectives are still working to identify other items seen in the video and where they may have been purchased.
Authorities have visited gun shops in the Tucson area, as the suspect appears to be wearing a gun holster that, Nanos previously said, “had some pretty unique characteristics.”
In addition to appealing to nearby residents, law enforcement has canvassed homes, businesses and government agencies for surveillance footage in an effort to trace where Guthrie may have been taken, locals and law enforcement involved in the case tell PEOPLE. Investigators continue to sift through “thousands of hours” of video collected from the greater Tucson area.
Forensic work is also ongoing. DNA recovered from Guthrie’s home was analyzed, Nanos said on Feb. 17. Gloves discovered about two miles from the residence, one of roughly 16 gloves found during the search of the surrounding area, did not produce any matches in the national CODIS database, and did not match DNA collected from inside the home.
“There is additional DNA evidence that was found at the residence that is also being analyzed,” the PCSD said.
Authorities have detained and later released two individuals in connection with the investigation, the sheriff’s department previously confirmed.
Despite weeks of searching, investigators do not have a leading theory regarding motive, according to Nanos. However, authorities said they believe Guthrie was removed from her home against her will, and the sheriff previously told PEOPLE they have not ruled out the possibility that more than one person was involved.
As recently as Feb. 21, detectives and agents were again canvassing Guthrie’s neighborhood, though officials did not disclose what prompted the renewed activity.
Nancy’s children, Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, her sister Annie and her brother Camron, have repeatedly pleaded for her safe return. In a series of social media videos, they have addressed purported ransom notes sent to several media outlets and urged the public to come forward with information. Despite reports of ransom communications, neither the family nor law enforcement has confirmed whether the notes were legitimate or if any direct contact was made with the sender.
The sheriff has emphasized that no family members, including siblings or spouses, are considered suspects.
Two rewards remain available for information in the case: up to $102,500 through 88-Crime, the Pima County and Tucson affiliate of Crime Stoppers, and up to $100,000 offered by the FBI for information leading to an arrest.
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Anyone with tips or leads is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI in addition to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department number, 520-351-4900.