Arizona Police Detain Person in Nancy Guthrie Case
Arizona authorities have detained an individual for questioning in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie. Investigators have intensified the case as they believe that Nancy’s disappearance involved an abduction. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed on Tuesday, Feb. 10, that the person was stopped and detained during a traffic stop south of Tucson. Meanwhile, officials are preparing to search a location that is linked to the individual.
However, investigators have not confirmed whether the detained person is the same armed and masked figure who was seen in newly released surveillance images. Some images were made public earlier on Tuesday. It shows a suspect appeared to the tamper with the camera outside Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home. Meanwhile, authorities have stressed that the investigation remains active and fluid.
In addition, the Oro Valley Police Department said that regional SWAT teams and bomb squads were placed on standby for a mission with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. While officials have not confirmed whether the deployment is directly related to the Guthrie case, but the development underscores the seriousness of the inquiry.
Nancy Guthrie Case: Investigation Expands Across Tucson Area
The detainment comes as sheriff’s deputies and FBI agents were seen canvassing the neighborhood of Annie Guthrie, who is Savannah Guthrie’s sister and Nancy’s daughter. Annie’s property lies roughly four miles from Nancy Guthrie’s longtime Tucson residence, where investigators believe that she was taken during the night of Jan. 31.
According to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, Nancy was last seen on that evening after her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, dropped her home following dinner with Annie and him. The next morning, when Nancy failed to arrive at a friend’s house to live-stream a church service, her family reported her missing. Shortly afterward, the law enforcement launched a large-scale investigation.
Since then, detectives have said that they believe Nancy was taken against her will. Moreover, police confirmed that blood found on the exterior porch of her home that matches her DNA. Investigators also recovered the remnants of a Ring camera that had been forcibly removed from the front door area.
Guthrie Family Appeals to Kidnappers as Ransom Reports Surface
As the search continued, reports have emerged of alleged ransom notes sent to media outlets that include KOLD News 13 and TMZ. Authorities have not verified the authenticity of those messages. Nevertheless, the family made a public appeal days later.
On Feb. 7, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released an emotional video on Instagram. They address the alleged kidnappers directly. “We will pay”, they said, while urging for Nancy’s safe return. While officials have not released further details about the detained individual. Investigators said that searches and interviews are ongoing. Authorities are continue to ask the public for information and emphasized that every lead remains critical as the case unfolds.
Web Resources on the Detained Person Linked to Nancy Guthrie’s Abduction
1. NYTimes.com: A Suspect Is Being Questioned After a Traffic Stop
2. BBC.com: Police search Arizona home of person detained in connection to Nancy Guthrie disappearance
3. CBSNews.com: Person of interest in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance detained for questioning in Arizona
4. NBCNews.com: Man detained for questioning in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance