{"id":472357,"date":"2026-02-11T07:27:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T07:27:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/472357\/"},"modified":"2026-02-11T07:27:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T07:27:11","slug":"how-the-search-for-nancy-guthrie-played-out-as-police-detain-a-person-for-questioning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/472357\/","title":{"rendered":"How the search for Nancy Guthrie played out as police detain a person for questioning"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the 11th day since she vanished from her home in Arizona<\/a>, a person is being questioned in connection to the disappearance of news anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy.<\/p>\n

Local police have provided the latest update on social media, hours after the FBI released footage and images of a masked suspected abductor<\/a> captured by Ms Guthrie’s doorbell camera.<\/p>\n

What started as a missing persons case soon turned into an FBI suspected kidnapping investigation that has captured the interest of the US and online sleuths who have flooded the internet with conspiracy theories.<\/p>\n

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have made several pleas via social media videos<\/a> directly addressing the suspected kidnapper, saying they were prepared to pay a ransom for their mother’s return.<\/p>\n

In recent days, as her family grew desperate, investigators began to zero in on a 41-minute window about four hours after she returned home from a games night as the time they believed she was abducted.<\/p>\n

It’s been unclear if investigators have had contact with Nancy Guthrie’s abductor or if she is alive.<\/p>\n

Here is a timeline of events in the investigation.<\/p>\n

Saturday, January 31<\/p>\n

Two Saturdays ago, Nancy Guthrie takes an Uber from her home in Tucson, Arizona, to a family member’s home for dinner and a games night at about 5:32pm.<\/p>\n

At 9:48pm, Ms Guthrie is dropped home by a relative and her garage door opens and closes minutes later, according to police.<\/p>\n

She goes to bed.<\/p>\n

Sunday, February 1\"A<\/p>\n

The timeline of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance released by local authorities. (ABC News Graphics: Lindsay Dunbar)<\/p>\n

At 1:47am, the doorbell camera of Ms Guthrie’s home disconnects.<\/p>\n

At 2:12am, the camera’s software detects movement and then at 2:28am, Guthrie’s pacemaker app is disconnected from her phone.<\/p>\n

Later that day, after the grandmother did not attend church, her family check on her at around 11:56am.<\/p>\n

By 12:03pm the family call emergency number 911 and report her as a missing person.<\/p>\n

Just over 10 minutes later, investigators arrive to launch a search operation, which includes the use of drones and search dogs.<\/p>\n

Later, investigators tell the media this is not a typical response for missing persons cases, but upon arrival, they found signs she did not leave on her own.<\/p>\n

They found what has been described as a minimal amount of blood on Ms Guthrie’s porch.<\/p>\n

Given her health and heart conditions, police act quickly, knowing she is without her medication.<\/p>\n

At 6:46pm, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department posts on social media to announce Ms Guthrie’s disappearance.<\/p>\n

Monday, February 2\"Pim<\/p>\n

Chris Nanos says he believes Nancy Guthrie is still alive. (AP: Sejal Govindarao)<\/p>\n

The next morning, authorities announce to the public they believe Ms Guthrie was taken against her will.<\/p>\n

The interest in the case captures the world’s attention and Savannah Guthrie is noticeably absent from her anchor role on the morning’s edition of the Today Show.<\/p>\n

The show releases a statement on behalf of Savannah Guthrie, who thanks supporters and asks anyone with information to come forward.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the local Tucson television station says it received an email that appears to be a ransom note.<\/p>\n

The note is said to include a deadline set for Thursday at 5pm and a second one for Monday.<\/p>\n

Savannah Guthrie posts to her Instagram asking for people’s prayers.<\/p>\n

She describes her mother as a “woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant”.<\/p>\n

Tuesday, February 3<\/p>\n

In another press conference, the Pima County Sheriff reiterates pleas for information, warning Ms Guthrie will die without access to her medication.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Savannah Guthrie has not been on the Today Show since the disappearance of her mother Nancy. (Supplied: Instagram)<\/p>\n

They say they found signs of forced entry, but reveal few details about the investigation.<\/p>\n

They decline to answer whether the disappearance was thought to be random or targeted.<\/p>\n

They say DNA samples had been gathered and submitted, but nothing had come back to indicate suspects.<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump tells reporters the situation is “terrible”.<\/p>\n

Wednesday, February 4<\/p>\n

After turning back the property to Nancy Guthrie’s family earlier that week, authorities go back to the home for a “follow-up investigation”.<\/p>\n

That night, Savannah Guthrie posts a video to Instagram in which she directly addresses the kidnapper and tells them her family is ready to talk, but they want proof Nancy is alive.<\/p>\n

Loading Instagram content<\/p>\n

Thursday, February 5<\/p>\n

Officials reveal to the public that a DNA test of blood found on the porch is Nancy Guthrie’s blood.<\/p>\n

The FBI offers a $50,000 reward for information about Ms Guthrie’s whereabouts.<\/p>\n

On Thursday (local time), FBI special agent Heith Janke says the agency is investigating an alleged ransom letter sent to media outlets.<\/p>\n

Authorities also make an arrest over an “Imposter” ransom note, saying there is no evidence it had any connection to Ms Guthrie’s disappearance.<\/p>\n

Friday, February 6<\/p>\n

Tucson TV station KOLD receives a new email tied to the Guthrie case, but says it cannot disclose what it says.<\/p>\n

The FBI says it is aware of a new message and is reviewing its authenticity.<\/p>\n

Investigators gather more evidence at Ms Guthrie’s neighbourhood.<\/p>\n

The president of a local neighbourhood group thanks residents in a letter seen by the Associated Press for being willing to speak with police, share camera images and allow their properties to be searched.<\/p>\n

Saturday, February 7<\/p>\n

Savannah Guthrie releases another Instagram video, flanked by her siblings.<\/p>\n

She addresses potential abductors.<\/p>\n

Loading Instagram content<\/p>\n

“We received your message, and we understand,” she says.<\/p>\n

“We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her.<\/p>\n

“This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”<\/p>\n

Sunday, February 8<\/p>\n

Detectives and FBI agents do follow-up work at multiple locations and an investigator is seen using a pole to search in an underground tank behind Ms Guthrie’s home.<\/p>\n

Monday, February 9\"A<\/p>\n

A sign of solidarity from neighbours at Nancy Guthrie’s home in Tucson, Arizona. (AP: Caitlin O’Hara)<\/p>\n

Savannah Guthrie posts to Instagram again, saying her family is in “an hour of desperation” and they believe that Nancy Guthrie is out there, alive.<\/p>\n

No ransom note is mentioned in this video and Savannah Guthrie asks for prayers.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the FBI says they were not aware of ongoing communication between Nancy Guthrie’s family and suspected kidnappers.<\/p>\n

The deadline believed to be set by the reported ransom note passes.<\/p>\n

Tuesday, February 10\"The<\/p>\n

The home of Nancy Guthrie in Tucson, Arizona. (AP: Caitlin O’Hara)<\/p>\n

The FBI releases door camera video they say they managed to recover.<\/p>\n

The video shows what the FBI describes as an armed person tampering with the camera.<\/p>\n

The person wears a backpack and ski mask with eye and mouth holes.<\/p>\n

The person tries to cover the camera near the door with a gloved hand before ripping out a plant from the yard to block the camera’s view.<\/p>\n

Savannah Guthrie posts images of the alleged kidnapper on Instagram.<\/p>\n

She writes she believes her mother is still alive.<\/p>\n

Then, just before 9pm local time, Pima County Sheriff’s Department releases a statement on social media announcing they have detained a subject.<\/p>\n

“Earlier today, Pima County Sheriff’s Department deputies detained a subject during a traffic stop south of Tucson,” it read.<\/p>\n

“The subject is currently being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation.”<\/p>\n

They say additional information will be released as it becomes available.<\/p>\n

It is still unclear if ransom notes demanding money and deadlines already passed were authentic or if the Guthrie family has had direct contact with the kidnapper.<\/p>\n

As the investigation edges toward its 12th day, more questions than answers remain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On the 11th day since she vanished from her home in Arizona, a person is being questioned in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":472358,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[184872,64,63,48,134,224172,16872,234656,138048,427,240956,240957],"class_list":["post-472357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-abduction","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-crime","tag-entertainment","tag-guthrie","tag-missing-person","tag-nancy-guthrie","tag-savannah-guthrie","tag-tv","tag-tv-news-anchor-mother-abducted","tag-what-we-know-about-nancy-guthrie-disappearance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472357","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=472357"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472357\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/472358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=472357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=472357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=472357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}