Authorities executed a high-profile search of a residence in Rio Rico, Arizona, on the evening of February 10, 2026, following the brief detention of a person of interest in the abduction of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. The operation, authorized by court warrant and involving the Pima County Sheriff’s Department alongside FBI agents, unfolded in a quiet desert community roughly 60 miles south of Tucson and near the U.S.-Mexico border. It marked the first major investigative step outside properties directly tied to the Guthrie family, heightening public speculation that a significant lead had emerged.
The sequence began with a traffic stop in Rio Rico late Tuesday afternoon. A man, later identified by media interviews as Carlos Palazuelos, was pulled over while driving a Nissan Rogue. He reported noticing law enforcement trailing him before officers approached, asked his name, and took him into custody for questioning. Sources familiar with the probe indicated the detention stemmed from electronic investigative tools, including analysis of cell phone data, traffic patterns, and other digital traces that flagged potential relevance to the abduction timeline. Palazuelos maintained his innocence throughout, telling reporters outside his home after release early Wednesday: “I’m glad they’re doing their job, but they’re chasing the wrong guy.” He emphasized he had no knowledge of Nancy Guthrie or her family and felt unfairly targeted, describing the experience as feeling “like I was being kidnapped.”
While Palazuelos was held, investigators swarmed the Rio Rico property he shared with his wife and mother-in-law. The search lasted several hours, with agents combing the home, vehicles, and surrounding area under floodlights. A woman at the residence, speaking to local outlets, insisted nothing incriminating was present: “There’s nobody in my house… we’re not hiding anything.” She described the intrusion as invasive but cooperated fully. No arrests followed, and authorities confirmed the man was released without charges after interviews yielded no actionable connections to the disappearance. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department issued a brief statement noting the search was “court-authorized” and related to the ongoing Nancy Guthrie investigation, but provided no further details on what prompted the focus on Rio Rico or what evidence, if any, was recovered.
The Rio Rico development arrived amid escalating momentum in the case. Just hours earlier, the FBI had released recovered doorbell camera footage showing a masked, armed individual tampering with Nancy’s security system in the predawn hours of February 1 — the morning she vanished. The black-and-white clips depicted a person in a ski mask, gloves, backpack, and holstered handgun approaching the porch, using foliage and a gloved hand to obscure the lens. The unusual front-waistband holster placement drew expert commentary as “bizarre” and amateurish. The release sparked an explosion of tips — over 4,000 in the first 24 hours, pushing the total past 18,000 since the disappearance began. A $50,000 reward for information leading to her safe return further fueled public engagement.
Despite the Rio Rico lead evaporating, the search intensified elsewhere. On February 11 and into the 12th day, FBI agents and deputies conducted an “extensive search” along roadways in the Catalina Foothills near Nancy’s home, fanning out through rugged desert terrain. A notable find — a pair of black gloves matching those in the suspect footage — was discovered along a dirt path about a mile and a half away, prompting immediate forensic testing for DNA, fibers, or trace evidence. Investigators also urged residents to review home security footage from dates prior to February 1, expanding the timeline to capture possible pre-abduction surveillance or scouting activity.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen alive around 9:45 p.m. on January 31, dropped off at her Catalina Foothills residence after a family dinner. She missed a scheduled virtual church service the next day around noon, prompting family concern. Evidence at the scene included porch blood confirmed as hers via DNA, abandoned Apple Watch and phone (with pacemaker connectivity lost around 2:30 a.m.), and the disabled camera. Sheriff Chris Nanos classified it as an abduction against her will, citing her vulnerability due to age, mobility issues, heart conditions, pacemaker, high blood pressure, and reliance on daily medications.
Ransom notes have added layers of complexity. Multiple demands for Bitcoin surfaced in media and family channels, one potentially authentic due to private details, while fakes led to fraud arrests. No verified follow-up or proof-of-life has emerged, leaving motives uncertain but often speculated as financial.
Family appeals remain poignant. Savannah Guthrie, absent from “Today” to support the Arizona effort, shares old home videos of Nancy with grandchildren, captions pleading: “We will never give up on her.” Michael Feldman reposted FBI images with a simple cry: “Someone out there may recognize this person. Please help us. Bring her home.” Siblings Annie and Camron released direct pleas to any abductor, offering negotiation for her return.
As Day 12 unfolded, a white tent appeared at Nancy’s home, shielding investigative work at the front door. The Rio Rico raid, though fruitless in custody, underscored the probe’s breadth and urgency. With thousands of tips sifted, desert searches ongoing, and potential evidence like the gloves under analysis, authorities hold firm that Nancy is presumed alive. The release in Rio Rico refocuses attention on the masked figure from the footage — a haunting reminder that the true suspect remains at large, and every tip could still deliver the breakthrough to end this ordeal.
