The search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has captivated the nation, and newly released surveillance footage has sent shockwaves through the investigation. The mother of NBC’s “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home in the early morning hours of February 1, and federal investigators are now piecing together a puzzle that grows more complex by the day.
On Tuesday, February 10, the FBI made a breakthrough that had seemed impossible just days earlier. Despite initial reports that no video evidence existed, agents working with technology partners managed to recover chilling doorbell camera footage from Nancy Guthrie’s Catalina Foothills home. The black-and-white images show a masked figure approaching her front door, deliberately concealing their face while appearing to tamper with the recording device.
The footage reveals an individual wearing gloves, a ski mask, and a backpack, with what appears to be a holstered handgun visible at their waist. In one particularly unsettling sequence, the person can be seen holding a flashlight in their mouth while using their hands to cover the camera lens with a glove, then strategically placing plants from the yard to further obscure the device. FBI Director Kash Patel described the individual as “armed” and stated the images were recovered from residual data in backend systems after days of technical work.
The release of this footage came at a critical moment in the investigation. Just hours after the images went public, authorities detained a man during a traffic stop in Rio Rico, Arizona — a small community located approximately 60 miles south of Tucson and just 14 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The timing raised immediate questions: Was this the person seen in the doorbell footage?
The man, who identified himself as Carlos Palazuelos to reporters, spoke candidly about his experience. He told media outlets that federal agents informed him he resembled the person captured on camera. Palazuelos, who works as a delivery driver, said he couldn’t recall whether he had ever made a delivery to Guthrie’s home. Most importantly, he adamantly denied any involvement in the disappearance.
“I didn’t do anything. I’m innocent,” Palazuelos stated after being released in the early morning hours of February 11. He explained that when officers initially stopped him, they didn’t inform him why he was being detained until detectives arrived. “They told me I was being detained for kidnapping, and I asked them, ‘Kidnapping of who?'” he recounted to ABC15.
Following his detention, the FBI’s Evidence Response Team and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at Palazuelos’s residence in Rio Rico. The operation lasted several hours before authorities announced that the search had concluded. By morning, officials confirmed that Palazuelos had been fully cooperative and, after thorough interviews and forensic review, was released without charges. Sheriff Chris Nanos later stated that the individual had been effectively ruled out as a suspect.
The circumstances surrounding Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance have been troubling from the start. She was last seen on the evening of January 31, when family members dropped her off at her home after dinner around 9:45 p.m. The next day, when she failed to arrive at a friend’s house to watch their church service online, concerned friends contacted her family. What they discovered at her home was deeply alarming.
Investigators immediately recognized that something was terribly wrong. Evidence at the scene suggested Nancy Guthrie had been taken against her will. Blood found on her front porch was later confirmed through DNA testing to be hers. The doorbell camera had been disconnected at 1:47 a.m., and motion was detected at 2:12 a.m. — but because Guthrie didn’t have an active subscription to Google’s Nest recording service, authorities initially believed no footage could be recovered.
The fact that the FBI managed to retrieve this footage represents a significant technical achievement. Working closely with private sector partners, including Google (which owns Nest), investigators were able to extract images from residual data that remained in the system’s backend servers. This recovery effort took more than a week of intensive work by forensic specialists.
For the Guthrie family, each development brings a mixture of hope and anguish. Savannah Guthrie has stepped away from her high-profile duties — including co-hosting the opening ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics — to focus entirely on finding her mother. She has posted multiple video appeals on social media, each reflecting the evolving emotional landscape of this ordeal.
“We are at an hour of desperation,” Savannah said in one recent message, her voice heavy with emotion. “We believe she is still alive. We need your help.” The family has emphasized that Nancy needs daily medication for high blood pressure and heart issues, including maintenance for her pacemaker. Her limited mobility makes it unlikely she left voluntarily.
Adding to the mystery are ransom notes that have been sent to multiple media outlets, including TMZ and two Tucson television stations. These communications demanded $6 million in Bitcoin and included specific deadlines — both of which have now passed without resolution. Authorities have not confirmed whether these notes are authentic or whether the Guthrie family has had any direct communication with whoever took Nancy.
Interestingly, TMZ reported activity in the Bitcoin account mentioned in the ransom notes, though the outlet declined to specify the amount involved. This development has raised questions about the legitimacy of the demands and whether investigators are any closer to identifying those responsible.
The investigation has involved extensive resources from multiple agencies. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has deployed K-9 units, drones, and aerial search teams. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has assisted given the proximity to the international border. Search efforts have extended beyond Nancy’s immediate neighborhood to include areas around the home of her daughter Annie Guthrie, who also lives in the Tucson area.
Despite the technological breakthrough with the doorbell footage, significant questions remain unanswered. Who is the masked individual seen in the video? What was their connection to Nancy Guthrie, if any? Why was her home specifically targeted? And most critically: Where is Nancy Guthrie now?
Sheriff Nanos has maintained a measured but determined tone throughout the investigation. “What I believe is that Nancy was removed from her home against her will, and that we need to find her,” he stated during a press conference. “I believe that she’s still alive. I have no choice until something shows me, a piece of physical evidence shows me that that’s different.”
The White House has also become involved, with President Donald Trump personally calling Savannah Guthrie to offer support and federal resources. “I am directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family’s, and Local Law Enforcement’s, complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump posted on Truth Social. The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery and the arrest of those responsible.
As the investigation enters its second week, the public response has been overwhelming. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department reported receiving over 4,000 calls to their tip line in just 24 hours after the surveillance footage was released. Each lead is being carefully evaluated, and the FBI has created a dedicated webpage with detailed information about the case.
For Nancy Guthrie’s family, the waiting continues. Behind the technical language of warrants and evidence lies a simpler, more painful reality: a daughter seeking answers about her mother’s disappearance. Savannah Guthrie’s message to the public remains clear and urgent. “Someone out there recognizes this person,” she wrote alongside the FBI footage. “We believe she is still out there. Bring her home.”
The doorbell footage has provided investigators with their most substantial lead yet, but it has also opened new questions and avenues of inquiry. As federal and local authorities continue their work, one truth remains constant — every hour matters in the search for Nancy Guthrie, and her family refuses to give up hope that she will be found alive.
Anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance or who can identify the person in the surveillance footage is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.