In a significant development in the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the FBI on Tuesday released surveillance photos showing a potential subject in the ongoing investigation, authorities said. The images, posted by FBI Director Kash Patel on the social media website X, depict a masked and armed individual at Guthrie’s Arizona home the morning she vanished.
The photos — four black-and-white stills captured by a Nest doorbell camera — show an unidentified person wearing gloves, a mask with eye holes, a backpack and what appears to be a firearm. In some frames, the individual appears to be tampering with or attempting to obscure the camera at the front door of Guthrie’s residence in the Tucson area.
Authorities say the images were recovered from “residual data located in backend systems,” after early technical hurdles had made portions of the footage inaccessible. Patel and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department emphasized that this is part of an active search for evidence, but that no suspects have been formally identified at this time.
“Working with our partners — as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance,” Patel wrote on X.
The search for Guthrie, whose disappearance triggered a nationwide outcry and intense law enforcement effort, entered its second week Tuesday. Guthrie was reported missing on February 1 after she did not attend virtual church services and was last seen the night before at her home. Earlier in the investigation, DNA testing confirmed that blood found on her front porch matched her profile, and the Nest doorbell camera and her pacemaker data both went offline in the early hours of February 1 — raising strong suspicions of a criminal abduction.
The release of these images marks the first time authorities have publicly shared what they consider a possible subject in the case. However, law enforcement officials have been careful not to label the individual as a confirmed suspect. Investigators continue to urge the public to provide tips if anyone recognizes the person or the clothing and gear shown in the footage.
Guthrie’s daughter, “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, also shared one of the released photos on Instagram with a heartfelt message, writing, “We believe she is still alive. Bring her home.” She and other family members have made repeated emotional appeals for assistance as the search continues.
The FBI and local authorities are conducting an active investigation and have established hotlines for receiving tips. As new information emerges, the agency says updates will be shared with the public.
