Authorities have briefly detained 36-year-old Carlos Palazuelos for questioning in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, just hours after the FBI released chilling surveillance footage showing a masked and armed individual tampering with her home's doorbell camera in Tucson, Arizona. After initial questioning, Palazuelos was released.
The detention occurred during a traffic stop in Rio Rico, Arizona Tuesday evening and authorities executed a search warrant at a nearby home, seizing electronic devices, though Palazuelos has not been officially named a suspect and Guthrie remains missing.
Palazuelos, a package delivery driver drives a white van, was reportedly staying with his mother-in-law, Josefina Maddox, in Rio Rico after an eviction. Maddox told reporters her son-in-law is a "good guy" with no criminal history and does not resemble the figure in the video, insisting he had nothing to do with the case.
The development followed an influx of tips after the FBI's release of the recovered footage, which authorities believe could break the case wide open.
Nancy Guthrie vanished from her home in the Catalina Foothills area of Tucson on February 1, 2026, prompting an extensive search involving the Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI. Authorities have described the case as an abduction and believe she is still alive, though no ransom demands or definitive leads had emerged until the video's release led to the recent detention.
Palazuelos, a package delivery driver drives a white van, was reportedly staying with his mother-in-law, Josefina Maddox, in Rio Rico after an eviction. Maddox told reporters her son-in-law is a "good guy" with no criminal history and does not resemble the figure in the video, insisting he had nothing to do with the case.
The black-and-white surveillance video, retrieved from backend systems with assistance from Google engineers who own the Nest camera brand, depicts a person wearing a ski mask, gloves, and a backpack, approaching Guthrie's front door on the morning of February 1, 2026, with what appears to be a holstered handgun.
The individual is seen checking the camera, picking up vegetation or brush from the ground, and using it to cover the lens, effectively disabling the recording. FBI Director Kash Patel shared the images and short clips on social media, noting the person kept their head down to avoid facial identification.
Savannah Guthrie has publicly appealed for information, posting updates on social media as the investigation continues into its second week.
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