On the afternoon of February 7, 2026, a flatbed tow truck pulled away from Nancy Guthrie’s home in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills carrying what multiple witnesses and local reporters identified as a dark gray or charcoal-colored SUV that had remained inside the attached garage since the 84-year-old disappeared one week earlier. The removal was not accompanied by any formal press statement from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, yet it was captured on several cellphone videos by neighbors and quickly circulated online. 3TV/CBS5 reporter Briana Whitney, who was conducting a live stand-up at the scene, confirmed on air that the vehicle appeared to be the same one visible through the briefly opened garage door the day before.
The SUV—a mid-size crossover, possibly a Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V or similar model—was never seen leaving the property after Nancy was abducted from her porch around 1:47 a.m. on February 1. Ring camera footage from the home showed her stepping outside, followed by a hooded figure rushing in from the left and dragging her into the shadows in under seven seconds. The front door was left ajar, porch light stayed on, and small drops of blood later typed to Nancy were found on the concrete steps. During that initial week, the garage door remained closed, shielding the vehicle from street view and from most media lenses.
On February 6, however, investigators opened the garage for several hours. Crime-scene technicians in white coveralls were photographed swabbing door handles, examining the interior, collecting vacuum samples from the seats and floor mats, and photographing the license plate and VIN. The activity drew speculation that the SUV itself might contain trace evidence—DNA from an unknown person, fibers transferred during a struggle, or digital data from an infotainment system that could reveal recent trips or Bluetooth connections. When the tow truck arrived the following afternoon, it did so without fanfare. The operator loaded the vehicle using a winch, secured it with straps, draped a blue tarp over the body, and departed under a two-vehicle police escort.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt. Chris DeWitt later issued a brief written statement: “As part of the ongoing investigation, a vehicle associated with the property has been removed for forensic examination. This is standard procedure when we believe a vehicle may hold physical or electronic evidence relevant to the case.” He declined to answer specific questions about whether the SUV is suspected of being used in the abduction, whether it was occupied at the time of the crime, or what specific tests are being conducted.
The decision to tow the vehicle has fueled several lines of public speculation. One theory centers on the possibility that the suspect entered the garage before or after the abduction—perhaps to retrieve something, disable the home’s interior alarm, or use the attached space to avoid being seen loading Nancy into another vehicle on the street. Another line of thought suggests the SUV’s onboard electronics (GPS history, Bluetooth pairings, or even dash-cam footage if equipped) could reveal prior reconnaissance visits or contacts with the suspect. A third, darker possibility is that the vehicle was tampered with during the crime—perhaps to disable Nancy’s ability to call for help or to leave misleading evidence.
Neighbors who watched the tow described a quiet, methodical process. One resident, speaking anonymously to 3TV, said the truck arrived just after 1:45 p.m. and left within fifteen minutes. “They didn’t want attention,” she said. “No lights, no sirens—just in, out, gone.” Another neighbor filmed the departure from across the street; the clip shows the tarp flapping slightly as the truck turns onto the main road, revealing a momentary glimpse of the rear bumper and part of the license plate before it disappears from view.
For the Guthrie family the sight of the familiar SUV being removed was another painful marker. Sources close to Savannah Guthrie say she was informed in advance and that the moment felt like “another piece of her mother’s normal life being taken away.” The family has remained mostly out of the public eye since the first week, but Savannah issued a short written statement through NBC the same afternoon: “Every item that leaves that house is another reminder of how much we miss her. If that car holds even one clue, we pray investigators find it quickly.”
The broader investigation continues to move on multiple fronts. The legitimate ransom note—containing verifiable details only the perpetrator would know—remains active, though the first deadline passed without further contact. The separate arrest of Derrick Callella for sending fraudulent Bitcoin demands has been officially disconnected from the kidnapping itself. Forensic teams are still enhancing the neighbor’s 57-second abduction clip, particularly the reflective patch visible on the suspect’s left sleeve. The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit has contributed a developing profile describing the abductor as likely male, physically capable, and familiar with the layout and timing of the neighborhood.
Public response remains intense. The dedicated tip line receives hundreds of calls daily, and the Crime Stoppers reward fund has climbed above $80,000. Community prayer vigils continue nightly outside Rebeuss Church, where Nancy was a longtime member. Online, amateur investigators have attempted to identify the license plate number visible in neighbor videos, though authorities have repeatedly warned against releasing unverified information that could compromise the case or endanger innocent parties.
As forensic examination of the towed SUV begins—likely involving luminol tests, vacuum samples, DNA swabbing, and extraction of electronic data—the hope is that the vehicle will provide the missing link: a fingerprint that does not belong, a hair that does not match family members, a phone paired via Bluetooth, or a navigation history showing unusual routes in the days leading up to the abduction.
For now, the dark gray SUV that once sat quietly inside Nancy Guthrie’s garage is gone—taken away under police escort to a secure facility where technicians will search for the trace that could finally lead to the person who took her. Whether it yields answers or merely deepens the mystery remains unknown. What is certain is that every day the vehicle spends in the lab is another day a family waits, another day a nation watches, and another day Nancy Guthrie remains somewhere beyond reach.
