A man insisted he was innocent after being released from police questioning in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie.
The individual, who gave his name only as Carlos, told media he was pulled over while working for DoorDash in Rio Rico, Arizona. Police detained him Tuesday for questioning related to what he described as a “kidnapping” investigation. He claimed he didn’t recognize Nancy Guthrie’s name when officers questioned him about the 84-year-old’s disappearance.
“Maybe I delivered a package through my job, but I never kidnapped anybody,” Carlos stated, adding that authorities released him after questioning. He alleged officers didn’t read him his Miranda rights until two hours into his detention and that handcuffs left his wrists swollen.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed detaining a person of interest for several hours while executing a search warrant in Rio Rico. This development came hours after the FBI released alarming security footage showing a masked, gloved individual armed with a gun tampering with Nancy’s door camera on the night she vanished.
Authorities recovered the images through backend systems, with investigators noting the suspect appeared to target the home’s surveillance system. Savannah Guthrie shared these images on Instagram during her family’s desperate search, pleading: “We believe she is still alive. Bring her home.”
The Guthrie family faced a ransom demand requiring $6 million in bitcoin by Monday evening. While they didn’t meet the deadline, recent activity occurred in the specified cryptocurrency account.
Nancy was last seen January 31 being dropped off at her Tucson home after dinner with family. She was reported missing after failing to attend church the next morning. Investigators later discovered her blood at the residence.