The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie picked up speed Tuesday night.
According to multiple reports, police detained a person for questioning in connection to the case. Authorities have not said if the person has been charged. Police are reportedly conducting a search warrant in the area south of Tucson where that person was taken in custody.
In a newly released video from the FBI, a masked individual is seen appearing on Nancy Guthrie’s doorbell camera. The person shown on appears to be wearing a backpack, a ski mask with holes around their eyes, and what appears to be a handgun holster.
In Berks County, investigators with Exeter Township Police Department say this type of evidence can be crucial in solving a case.
“Ring cameras, other technology, streaming devices — it’s no replacement for good police work. However, it does fill the gaps. It’s a force multiplier for us,” said Lt. Sean Fullerton, Exeter Township Police.T
Officials say a person has been detained for questioning in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Tuesday night that deputies detained someone during a traffic stop south of Tucson. The department later said a location in Rio Rico, about an hour’s drive from Tucson, was being searched. The news was another potential break in a case that has gripped the nation for more than a week. It came hours after the FBI released surveillance images of a masked person with a handgun holster outside Guthrie’s front door the night she vanished. It wasn’t clear if the person being questioned is the same person captured on surveillance video.
he video recorded shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday outside Guthrie’s secluded home in Tucson, Arizona, shows the person approaching the front door and tampering with the camera — even grabbing what seems to be leaves from a nearby bush to cover it up.
“Even if you can’t tell exactly who somebody is, if they’re wearing a disguise or if they’re going too quickly through one of your yards, it will help piece together timelines or direction of travel,” Fullerton said. “Little bits of evidence that, you know, a good investigator can put together and maybe solve a crime.”
The video was released on the 10th day of the search. FBI Director Kash Patel said investigators spent days trying to find the footage through backend systems. According to reports, the doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday, and while movement was detected, no footage could be recovered due to an inactive subscription.
“A lot of these cameras will come with a subscription-based piece to it, and if you’re able to afford a little bit extra money to actually keep some of that video on hand, God forbid something does happen,” Fullerton said.
Authorities have not confirmed the identity of the person detained or whether it’s the same person who is shown in the video. The FBI is asking anyone with information to report it.