Glove reportedly found near Nancy Guthrie’s home; investigators now focusing on suspect’s backpack

By WRAL staff and wire reports


The search for TODAY anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, is on its 11th day.

Backpack on suspect in surveillance video now focus of investigation

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According to reports from CNN, investigators are looking at the type of backpack the person was carrying in Nancy Guthrie’s doorbell camera footage,

CNN said the backpack appears to be an Ozark Trail Hiker Pack. Ozark Trail is Walmart’s private-label outdoor brand

Guthrie’s neighbors rally to show support for family

According to NBC News, leaders of Guthrie’s housing development urged friends and neighbors to show their support their support for the family by displaying yellow ribbons or flowers as a “sign of hope for her safe return.”

Yellow ribbons have long been regarded as a symbol that honors loved ones who are away at war or in captivity.

The move by the Catalina Foothills Association comes as the FBI told NBC that hey had no further updates on the investigation earlier in hte afternoon.

More than 4,000 tips received since images released

NBC News reports that more than 4,000 calls have come into the Pima County Sheriff’s Department since the FBI released photos and videos of a potential subject in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance.

Man questioned by authorities, home is searched

Overnight, a man was questioned and released regarding Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. The man’s home was also searched in Rio Rico, Arizona.

The man, who identified himself as Carlos Palazuelos, answered reporter questions outside the home early Wednesday. He said that he was pulled over by police near his home on Tuesday and detained for several hours.

Palazuelos said that was questioned because his eyes resembled the masked man seen in surveillance video and photos taken outside of Guthrie’s home released by the FBI on Tuesday.

“All I know is they showed by in-law a picture of somebody wearing a mask or something and it supposedly looked like my eyes,” Palazuelos told reporters early Wednesday.

The man said he did not remember if he had delivered anything to Guthrie’s house. He said investigators took his phone and questioned him.

“Man, I hope they get the suspect, because I’m not it,” he told reporters.

Local and federal authorities have not confirmed that Palazuelos was questioned in the case. They have only confirmed that a person was detained for questioning during a traffic stop south of Tucson and was released.

FBI officials told NBC News that tips have “dramatically increased” since releasing images and videos showing a potential suspect tampering with a doorbell camera outside of Guthrie’s home.

The FBI office in Phoenix shared on social media that they would conduct an extensive search along multiple roadways in the Catalina Foothills as part of their investigation.

TMZ receives note from someone claiming to ‘have information’

Wednesday, TMZ said it received another note from someone claiming to have information about Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapper. TMZ said it forwarded it to the FBI.

TMZ said the sender claims they’ve tried to reach Savannah Guthrie’s siblings.

They are asking for 1 Bitcoin in exchange for information, according to TMZ.

Tuesday brought new developments, surveillance images

The department and the FBI were conducting a court-authorized search Tuesday night at a location in Rio Rico, about an hour’s drive south of Tucson, the department said in a statement.

The development came hours after new surveillance video of a masked and apparently armed person on Nancy Guthrie’s doorstep the night she went missing was released by federal investigators.

It’s was first major break in the intensifying search for the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie. Authorities have not identified any suspects or persons of interest and are seeking help identifying the person in the video. It’s been more than a week since investigators believe Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home in Arizona.

Her children have made heartbreaking video pleas for help and the case has drawn national attention. Two deadlines in purported ransom notes sent to the media have come and gone, but it’s unclear of there’s been any contact with the abductors or if Nancy Guthrie is still alive.

Here is a timeline of events:

Saturday, Jan. 31

5:32 p.m. — Nancy Guthrie takes an Uber to her family’s home for dinner.

9:48 p.m. — Guthrie is dropped off at her Tucson, Arizona, home by a family member. The garage door opens and closes minutes later.

Sunday, Feb. 1

1:47 a.m. — The doorbell camera is disconnected.

2:12 a.m. — The camera’s software detects movement. Investigators initially said that there was no video available since Guthrie didn’t have an active subscription to the company. But digital forensics experts kept working to find images in backend software that might’ve been lost, corrupted or inaccessible.

2:28 a.m. — Her pacemaker app disconnects from her phone.

11:56 a.m. — Her family checks on her after learning she did not attend church.

12:03 p.m. — The family calls 911 to report a missing person.

12:15 p.m. — Investigators arrive and launch a search operation, including the use of drones and search dogs.

6:46 p.m. — The Pima County Sheriff’s Department posts on social media to announce Guthrie’s disappearance.

Monday, Feb. 2

Authorities announce in the morning that they believe Guthrie was kidnapped, abducted or otherwise taken against her will.

KOLD-TV says it received an email Monday night that appears to be a ransom note. The note includes a demand for money with a deadline set for 5 p.m. Thursday and a second one for Monday, investigators said.

Savannah Guthrie posts a message on Instagram on Monday night asking for people’s prayers.

Tuesday, Feb. 3

A person familiar with the investigation tells The Associated Press that investigators found signs of forced entry at Nancy Guthrie’s home.

President Donald Trump tells reporters that the situation is “terrible.”

Wednesday, Feb. 4

After turning back Guthrie’s property to her family earlier in the week, authorities return to the home for a “follow-up investigation.”

That evening, Savannah Guthrie posts a video on social media in which she tells her mother’s kidnapper that her family is ready to talk but wants proof their mom is alive.

Thursday, Feb. 5

Officials reveal that a DNA test of blood found on the home’s front porch showed it came from Nancy Guthrie.

The FBI offers a $50,000 reward for information about Guthrie’s whereabouts.

Tucson TV station KOLD receives a new message, via email, tied to the Guthrie case. The station says it can’t disclose its contents. The FBI says it’s aware of a new message and is reviewing its authenticity.

Investigators return to Guthrie’s neighborhood to gather more evidence. The president of the Catalina Foothills Association, a neighborhood group, thanks residents in a letter for being willing to speak with law enforcement, share camera images and allow their properties to be searched.

Saturday, Feb. 7

Savannah Guthrie releases another video on social media directly engaging with her mother’s potential abductors.

“We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” she said, flanked by her siblings. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

Sunday, Feb. 8

Detectives and FBI agents do follow-up work at multiple locations, the sheriff’s department says. An investigator is seen using a pole to search an underground tank behind Nancy Guthrie’s home.

Monday, Feb. 9

Savannah Guthrie posts another video on Instagram, saying her family is at an “hour of desperation” and they believe Nancy Guthrie is still out there. Savannah Guthrie asked for prayers and for people to report anything they might see or hear to law enforcement. No ransom note was mentioned.

A spokesperson for the FBI said the agency was not aware of ongoing communication between Nancy Guthrie’s family and the suspected kidnappers, despite a deadline set for Monday evening.

Tuesday, Feb. 10

The FBI says it managed to recover doorbell camera video of what it described as an armed person tampering with a camera at Guthrie’s front door.

Video showed the person wearing a backpack and ski mask with holes for the eyes and mouth. The person tries to cover a camera near the front door with their gloved hand before ripping out a plant from the yard to block the camera’s view.

Following the FBI’s announcement, Savannah Guthrie posts images of the apparent kidnapper on Instagram. She writes: “We believe she is still alive. Bring her home,” and includes phone numbers for the FBI and county sheriff.

Later, the Pima County sheriff’s department says a person was detained for questioning during a traffic stop south of Tucson. The man is released. He tells reporters that he made deliveries in the Tucson area.

The sheriff’s department also says it searched a location in Rio Rico, a city south of Tucson, with the help of the FBI.

On Tuesday, Savannah Guthrie said she and her family believe the mother is still alive. “We believe she is still out there. Bring her home,” she said.