Savannah Guthrie update: FBI releases new images in mom Nancy Guthrie case as investigators urge the public to help identify a masked porch figure

Savannah Guthrie update: New FBI images spotlight masked porch figure in Nancy Guthrie case

Federal investigators released new surveillance images Tuesday that show a masked person on the porch of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie around the time she vanished from her home outside Tucson, as officials urged the public to help identify the figure and widen the search. The images—described by investigators as showing an armed individual appearing to tamper with a front-door camera—are the clearest visuals disclosed so far in a case authorities now treat as an abduction.

The release comes as Nancy Guthrie’s family, including her daughter Savannah Guthrie, has shifted from hopeful appeals to urgent public pleas, saying they believe she is still alive and asking anyone with information to come forward.

What the new images show

Investigators say the recovered material captures a person in dark clothing wearing a mask and backpack on or near the front porch during the early-morning window of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. In the clearest frames, the person appears to reach toward the camera and block the lens with a gloved hand. Video described by authorities shows the figure placing objects—reported as plants—near the camera before the system goes offline.

Officials have not publicly identified the person as a suspect or a person of interest, but they say the images are significant enough to justify a broad public push for identification.

Why the footage surfaced now

The front-door camera was previously described as disconnected in the hours surrounding the disappearance, and investigators initially said they had limited usable footage. The newly released images were recovered later from residual data stored in backend systems after days of work involving technical assistance. Officials have not provided a full timeline for when the recovery became possible, but they framed the release as the first major visual lead since the investigation began.

That context matters: when a case turns on a narrow time window, even a few frames can redirect searches—toward a route, a vehicle, or a specific pattern of movement that might match other neighborhood cameras.

What authorities have confirmed about the disappearance

Investigators say Nancy Guthrie was last known to be at her home on Friday, Jan. 31, and she was reported missing the next day, Saturday, Feb. 1, after she did not arrive for a routine church service and could not be reached. Authorities later found blood on the front porch, and DNA testing matched it to Guthrie. Officials have said the evidence indicates she was taken against her will.

Authorities have also emphasized the urgency of locating her due to health concerns. Investigators say she requires daily medication and has heart issues, including a pacemaker.

Ransom messages, confusion, and what remains unclear

Public attention has been fueled by claims of ransom notes and deadlines. Officials have not confirmed that any message publicly circulating reflects legitimate communication from an abductor. Investigators have said they are reviewing tips and messages seriously, and authorities have disclosed that at least one ransom demand was determined to be fraudulent, leading to an arrest connected to that message.

Separately, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have posted a sequence of recorded pleas—first directed at whoever may be holding their mother, then increasingly directed at the wider public. In one recent message, the family indicated they had received a communication they interpreted as meaningful, but investigators have not publicly confirmed direct contact with an abductor.

The key point for the public: investigators are asking for help identifying the masked porch figure, not asking the public to adjudicate the authenticity of circulating notes.

What investigators want from the public now

With images in hand, officials are encouraging a broad review of security footage and observations from the overnight window surrounding Feb. 1. They are also asking people far beyond Tucson to stay alert, suggesting they do not want the search limited to a single neighborhood radius.

Key details that could matter most:

• Any exterior video showing a person on foot in dark clothing with a backpack during late-night or early-morning hours near the home

• Any vehicle that slowed, stopped, or made unusual turns in residential streets during the same window

• Any recognition of distinctive gear (mask style, backpack shape, holster placement) from the released images

• Any report of a vulnerable older adult appearing disoriented, requesting help, or traveling with someone who seemed controlling

As of Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 10 (ET), officials have not announced a suspect, a confirmed vehicle description, or a verified demand channel. The new images increase the odds that someone will recognize the figure—or that additional camera footage will connect the porch appearance to a route away from the home.

Sources consulted: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Associated Press, The Washington Post