A man who was detained in the Nancy Guthrie missing person case was released overnight without charges.
The FBI detained a “person of interest” during a traffic stop in Rio Rico, Arizona late Tuesday night. A “tip” from the public triggered heavy law enforcement activity at a small frame home in Rio Rico, Arizona.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office said the man was being questioned in the disappearance of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie.
The man’s mother-in-law said police broke down her front door without a warrant and seized all phones and electronic devices in the home.
The man was released early Wednesday without charges.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen on Jan. 31, when she was dropped off at her $1 million Tucson, Arizona home after having dinner with daughter, Annie Guthrie, and son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni.
On Tuesday, the FBI released photos and videos of a masked suspect tampering with a doorbell camera at Nancy Guthrie’s residence on January 31.
New images in the search for Nancy Guthrie:
Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrie’s home that may have been lost,… pic.twitter.com/z5WLgPtZpT
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) February 10, 2026
The sheriff’s office stated there are “multiple suspects” in the case.
Ransom notes were sent to gossip blog TMZ and a local Tucson news station demanding $6 million for Nancy’s safe return. The ransom notes were dismissed by law enforcement as not relevant to the case.
On Tuesday, TMZ reported “activity” in a Bitcoin wallet linked to the ransom note. At least $300 was deposited into the wallet, according to the outlet.
Veteran homicide investigator Paul Ciolino says he believes Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping was staged.
“I don’t think she was kidnapped,” Ciolino said in a livestream video. He noted that the alleged kidnappers never provided proof of life to the family before the deadline passed on Monday.
Savannah Guthrie released a third video on Monday pleading for help from the public.
“We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help,” she said in the video.
Savannah Guthrie: “No matter where you are, even if you’re far from Tucson, if you see anything, if you hear anything, if there’s anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement. We are at an hour of desperation and we need your help.”
1-800-CALL-FBI pic.twitter.com/yX4pzTAljm— Jake Tapper ? (@jaketapper) February 9, 2026
