Savannah Guthrie mother update: Search intensifies as new doorbell video is released

The search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of television host Savannah Guthrie, escalated this week after investigators released new surveillance images and video showing a masked person at her front door in the early hours of her disappearance. Authorities say the evidence points to an abduction, and they are urging anyone who recognizes the individual or has related information to come forward.

As of Wednesday, February 11, 2026, Nancy Guthrie has not been found, no arrests have been announced, and investigators say the case remains active and fast-moving.

What’s new in the investigation

Investigators released clearer doorbell-camera images and video that appear to show a masked person approaching Nancy Guthrie’s home and tampering with the doorbell camera. Officials described the individual as “armed,” noting the footage appears to show the person carrying what looks like a weapon while trying to obstruct or disable the camera’s view.

The release of the material reflects a shift toward crowdsourcing identification: authorities are signaling that a key investigative priority is determining who the person is, how they arrived and left, and whether anyone nearby saw a vehicle or unusual movement around the neighborhood around the time of the incident.

Timeline: When Nancy Guthrie went missing

Authorities say Nancy Guthrie was last confirmed seen on the evening of Saturday, January 31, 2026, when she was dropped off at her home in the Tucson area. By Sunday morning, February 1, she did not appear for a routine church-related gathering that friends said she typically attended, prompting outreach attempts that failed. Family members then contacted authorities.

Investigators say the working timeline indicates she was taken from her home during the overnight hours into February 1. Her phone and vehicle were left behind, and officials say evidence at the scene suggests she did not leave voluntarily.

Evidence authorities have described publicly

Officials have said physical evidence at the home includes blood found near the residence that matched Nancy Guthrie’s DNA. Investigators have also referenced communications consistent with ransom demands, including messages that sought payment in cryptocurrency and included time-based deadlines. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether any money changed hands, and they have cautioned the public against treating unverified online claims as fact.

The combined picture from the public details so far: investigators believe a crime occurred, and they are treating this as an abduction rather than a missing-person case with an unknown cause.

Detention and search activity near the border corridor

In the last 48 hours, investigators executed a court-authorized search at a home in Rio Rico, Arizona, a community south of Tucson near the U.S.-Mexico border corridor. During the same period, a man identified in public interviews as Carlos Palazuelos was detained for questioning after a traffic stop and later released without charges.

Authorities have not announced that the detained man is a suspect, and they have not said the search produced evidence sufficient for an arrest. The brief detention and release underscores where the case sits right now: investigators appear to be moving quickly to run down leads generated by the newly released images, while still holding back operational details.

Family messages and the public call for tips

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have issued repeated appeals for help, asking people to report anything unusual they saw around the neighborhood or in surrounding areas during the overnight window into February 1. Family statements have emphasized their belief that Nancy Guthrie is still alive and have asked for her safe return.

Investigators are also asking for tips related to:

• the identity of the masked person in the images

• any suspicious vehicles seen near the home overnight into February 1

• unusual door-to-door activity, deliveries, or late-night stops in the area

What happens next

With the doorbell footage now public, the next phase is likely to center on verification: matching the person’s clothing, gait, build, and any distinctive features to other camera angles in the area, and cross-checking tipster information against known timelines. Officials have also indicated that specialized resources are involved, suggesting a parallel track of technical work on video recovery, device analysis, and mapping potential routes.

Until an arrest is made or Nancy Guthrie is located, officials are expected to keep releasing carefully selected details that can generate leads without compromising the investigation. For the public, the clearest way to help remains reporting firsthand information, not resharing rumors.

Sources consulted: Federal Bureau of Investigation; Pima County Sheriff’s Department; Associated Press; Reuters