A tow truck left the Catalina Foothills residence of Nancy Guthrie shortly after 2 p.m. on February 7, 2026, carrying what law enforcement sources and eyewitnesses describe as a dark gray or dark-colored SUV that had been parked inside the attached garage since the 84-year-old’s disappearance one week earlier. The removal was captured on cellphone video by several neighbors and confirmed by Briana Whitney, a reporter with 3TV/CBS5, who was live on the scene when the flatbed departed.
The vehicle—believed to be a mid-size crossover or SUV—was not visible from the street during the initial days of the investigation because the garage door remained closed. On February 6, however, investigators opened the garage for several hours while crime-scene technicians worked inside. Photographs taken by media crews and residents show a dark-colored SUV with tinted windows and what appears to be Arizona license plates partially visible through the open door. The tow truck, operated by a private company contracted by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, loaded the vehicle using a winch and covered it with a tarp before driving away under police escort.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt. Chris DeWitt declined to confirm whether the SUV is considered evidence in the kidnapping case but stated that “several items of interest, including vehicles associated with the property, have been removed for forensic examination.” He added that the process is standard when authorities believe a vehicle may contain trace evidence—DNA, fingerprints, fibers, or electronic data—that could help reconstruct the events of the early morning of February 1.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on her own Ring camera stepping onto her porch around 1:47 a.m. A neighbor’s wide-angle security camera captured what investigators now believe is the abduction itself beginning at the 25-second mark of a 57-second clip: a hooded figure approaching rapidly, brief defensive movements by Nancy, and then both disappearing into the shadows beside the porch. The front door was left slightly ajar, the porch light remained on, and drops of blood later matched to Nancy’s type were found on the concrete steps.
The SUV’s presence inside the garage raises several immediate questions. Nancy, who had limited mobility and relied on daily medication, did not customarily drive herself at night and rarely left the house after dark. Family members told detectives that the vehicle was primarily used by a part-time caregiver who visited twice weekly and by Nancy’s son Camron when he stayed over. Neither the caregiver nor Camron was at the home on the night of the disappearance.
Investigators are now examining whether the SUV was used in the abduction itself (for example, to quickly remove Nancy from the property after she was taken from the porch) or whether it contains secondary evidence—perhaps the suspect touched the vehicle while inside the garage, left biological material, or accessed items stored there. The garage itself has become a focal point: crime-scene photos leaked to local media show technicians swabbing door handles, examining toolboxes, and collecting debris from the floor. A single muddy footprint was reportedly documented near the interior door leading into the house.
The tow truck’s departure was orderly but highly visible. Several neighbors filmed the scene from their driveways, and the videos spread rapidly on local Facebook groups and Nextdoor. One clip clearly shows the license plate before the tarp was fully secured; within minutes, amateur sleuths online began attempting to run the number, though authorities quickly urged the public not to interfere with the investigation. Sheriff Nanos reiterated at the afternoon briefing that releasing unverified information can jeopardize the case and endanger innocent parties.
For the Guthrie family, the sight of the familiar vehicle being towed away was another layer of anguish. Savannah Guthrie has remained mostly out of the public eye since the first week, but a close friend told NBC that the family was notified in advance of the removal and that Savannah watched a live feed of the tow from her home in New York. “It feels like another piece of her mother’s everyday life is being taken away,” the friend said. “Every item that leaves that house feels like another step toward accepting she might not come back the same way.”
The broader investigation continues on multiple fronts. The legitimate ransom note—containing specific details only the perpetrator would know—remains active, with the first deadline having passed without further communication. A separate imposter suspect, Derrick Callella, was arrested for sending fraudulent Bitcoin demands, but authorities stress he has no connection to the actual abduction. FBI behavioral analysts are assisting with a profile based on the 57-second abduction clip, describing the suspect as likely male, physically capable, and familiar with the neighborhood’s layout and timing.
Meanwhile, the East River lead in New York—stemming from an earlier false sighting—has been officially closed after divers found no additional evidence. Attention has returned fully to Tucson, where the focus now includes the towed SUV, potential DNA inside the garage, and the ongoing analysis of the neighbor’s footage.
Public support remains strong. The tip line continues to receive hundreds of calls daily, and a reward fund administered by Crime Stoppers of Southern Arizona has grown to $75,000. Community prayer vigils are held nightly outside Rebeuss Church, where Nancy was a longtime member.
As forensic teams begin their examination of the vehicle—likely a process that will take days to weeks—the hope is that it will yield the trace that finally points investigators toward the person who took Nancy Guthrie from her home. Until then, the image of the dark SUV rolling away under police escort stands as the latest painful marker in a case that has gripped the nation: a mother gone, a daughter waiting, and one ordinary family car that may now hold the key to bringing her back.
