TUCSON, Ariz. — A person was detained Tuesday for questioning in the apparent abduction of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY show cohost Savannah Guthrie, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department announced.
The individual was taken into custody during a traffic stop south of Tucson earlier in the day. Authorities have not released the person’s name or confirmed whether they are the same individual seen in newly released FBI footage.
That footage, recovered from “residual data in backend systems,” shows a person wearing a ski mask and gloves tampering with a doorbell camera at Guthrie’s Catalina Foothills home. FBI Director Kash Patel shared the images on social media, noting they were previously inaccessible.
Guthrie was last seen around 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 31, after being dropped off at her home by family members. She was reported missing the next day after failing to appear at a friend’s house for an online church service.
A ransom note demanding $6 million in bitcoin was sent to news outlets last week, but law enforcement has not verified its authenticity. The FBI stated Monday it is unaware of any contact between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers.
In an emotional Instagram video Monday night, Savannah Guthrie pleaded for help, saying, “We are at an hour of desperation.”
Anyone with information is urged to call the Pima County Sheriff’s Department tip line at 520-351-4900 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
