Nancy Guthrie investigation live updates: Person detained and released
More than a week after the suspected abduction of Nancy Guthrie — the mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie — authorities in Arizona detained and released a person for questioning in connection with the case, authorities said.
The person, who police say was fully compliant, was detained during a traffic stop on Tuesday evening. Authorities also searched a residence connected to the individual in Rio Rico, Arizona, about 60 miles south of Tucson, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
@FBIDirectorKash/X – PHOTO: FBI Director Kash Patel released a surveillance photo, Feb. 10, 2026 showing a potential subject in investigation of the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie in Tucson, AZ.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen Jan. 31, and authorities believe she was abducted from her home early the next morning.
Earlier Tuesday, the FBI released photos and videos of an armed person in a mask in front of her home, appearing to tamper with a security camera. Officials have investigated multiple unverified ransom notes in connection with the case, including one with a deadline for paying a ransom that passed on Monday.
Latest Developments
Feb 11, 9:27 AM
Search for ‘armed individual’ continues
In a day filled with a number of developments in the case of the suspected abduction of the mom of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI, detained an individual in a location south of Tucson, a source said, and law enforcement searched a location associated with the individual.
In a statement on social media, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said deputies “detained a subject during a traffic stop.”
FBI – PHOTO: This image provided by the FBI Feb. 5, 2026, shows a missing person Nancy Guthrie.
The man was compliant with authorities and was released later on Tuesday evening.
A court-authorized search was carried out by the sheriff’s department, with assistance of the FBI’s Evidence Response Team, at a location in Rio Rico, Arizona, about 60 miles south of Tucson, related to the investigation, the department said. The operation lasted several hours, according to the department.
FBI via Reuters – PHOTO: Security camera images show what the FBI describes as an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance at her home in Tucson, Arizona, February 1, 2026.
The developments, more than a week into the disappearance case, came on the heels of a series of eerie images being released by law enforcement of a masked man approaching Nancy Guthrie’s front door and as investigators continued to search in her neighborhood.
A person who had been detained was released after being questioned in connection with the abduction of the mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, according to ABC News’ Phoenix affiliate KNXV.
A court-authorized search was being carried out by the sheriff’s department, with assistance of the FBI’s Evidence Response Team, at a location in Rio Rico, Arizona, about 60 miles south of Tucson, related to the investigation, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said.
The operation lasted several hours and the individual was detained “during a traffic stop,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images – PHOTO: In an aerial view, law enforcement and news broadcasters are stationed outside of Nancy Guthrie’s residence on February 10, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona.
The developments followed the first images released by the FBI of a masked man approaching Nancy Guthrie’s front door, and as investigators continued to search in her neighborhood.
There is no indication that the person who was detained is the figure seen in the newly released video footage.
Delivery company DoorDash said in a statement that it was “urgently investigating reports that an individual detained in relation to the Nancy Guthrie case was a delivery driver.”
Earlier Tuesday, FBI Director Kash Patel released images and video of an “armed individual” in connection with the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie.
The images showed someone wearing a mask, gloves, a backpack and armed with a holstered handgun at the front door of Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson-area home around the time investigators suspect she was abducted on Feb. 1.
Nancy Guthrie was taken from her home on Sunday, Feb. 1, according to authorities. A Monday ransom deadline by persons claiming to be Guthrie’s abductors passed as the search for her continues.
Patel said the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s office worked with “private sector partners” in recent days to recover the video footage of of the masked person on her porch, which Patel said had been “lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors, including the removal of recording devices.”
The latest development in the case came a day after Savannah Guthrie made an impassioned plea to the public to help solve her mother’s disappearance.
“We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help,” Savannah Guthrie said in an Instagram video, speaking directly to the camera. It was the fourth video that Guthrie and her two siblings had released on social media since their mother vanished.
“We are currently operating a 24-hour command post that includes crisis management experts, analytic support, and investigative teams. But we still need the public’s help,” the FBI’s statement said. “Someone has that one piece of information that can help us bring Nancy home.”
Debunking the Beard and Jawline Theory: Latest Speculation in Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance
The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, continues to captivate and confound the public. As of February 11, 2026, eleven days after she was last seen, a new wave of online claims has surfaced, alleging that enhanced CCTV footage reveals a suspect with a “sparse beard and unusually thick jawline,” and that frame-by-frame analysis of the eyes points to her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni. This purported “detail” is said to have “changed the direction of the investigation.” But like previous sensational assertions, this one appears rooted in speculation rather than substantiated evidence. Drawing from official updates, expert analyses, and a review of social media chatter, this report examines the claim’s validity, highlighting how misinformation can complicate an already urgent search.
Nancy Guthrie vanished from her home in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills on the night of January 31, 2026. She had dinner with her daughter Annie Guthrie and Annie’s husband, Tommaso Cioni, who dropped her off around 9 p.m., ensuring she was safely inside, as confirmed by Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos. The next morning, she was reported missing, with blood on her porch later identified as hers through DNA testing. Her pacemaker app disconnected shortly after 1:47 a.m., aligning with the tampering of her Nest doorbell camera. Authorities have treated the case as an abduction, emphasizing that Nancy was “removed from that scene against her will.”
The FBI’s release of recovered footage on February 10 marked a pivotal moment. Director Kash Patel announced that, through collaboration with private partners, residual data from backend systems yielded 57 seconds of black-and-white video showing a masked individual approaching the door, gloved and armed, with a backpack. The person attempts to cover the camera first with a hand, then with yard foliage, displaying a calm, adaptive demeanor suggestive of planning. The gun, holstered unusually at the front waistband—termed “Mexican Carry” in online debates—adds to the intrigue.
Body language expert Susan Constantine, analyzing the footage for Fox News, noted the suspect’s “puffy” jawline, which could indicate beard hair pushing against the ski mask. She described the individual as athletically built, with likely brown eyes, tightly trimmed facial hair, and an olive complexion. Retired FBI agent John MacVeigh echoed this, pointing out visible mustache hairs and the mask’s mouth hole revealing sparse beard growth. These details have fueled comparisons to Cioni, who sports a prominent beard and mustache in photos.
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Social media has amplified the speculation. On X, users like @GerryHa40232286 posted side-by-side images, claiming a match in build and facial hair. Another, @Sunil011234, noted similarities in physique, height, mustache, beard, and eyebrows, but stressed it’s unconfirmed. Reddit threads in r/Tucson and r/MissingPersons debate the jawline and gait, with some suggesting a fake beard or disguise. Facebook comments on news posts, like those from Hidden True Crime, describe the beard as “painted on” or a mustache visible under the mask.
Yet, experts caution against such leaps. Former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O’Toole told CNN that while the footage provides clues like height (estimated 5’10” to 6’0″) and build, the mask obscures definitive identification. AI expert Kristian Hammond noted facial recognition’s limitations with masks, suggesting gait analysis might be more useful but not conclusive here. One X post from @JackDangerLIVE claims “definitive evidence” it’s not Cioni, citing a small goatee in slowed footage that doesn’t match Cioni’s fuller beard.
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Official sources remain silent on any identification. The FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Office have not named suspects, emphasizing “persons of interest” without specifics. Sheriff Nanos stated “everybody’s still a suspect” early on, but recent updates focus on a detained individual in Rio Rico, released after questioning. No mention of a “changed direction” due to beard or eye analysis.
Tommaso Cioni, 50, is an Italian-born musician and artist, formerly in the band Early Black. He and Annie live four miles from Nancy in a $675,000 home. As the last to see Nancy, he’s faced scrutiny, with their home searched twice. Journalist Ashleigh Banfield reported a “very high-level source” calling him a “prime suspect,” but this remains unverified. Cioni has kept a low profile since February 3, prompting “disappearance” headlines, but he’s likely cooperating.
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Speculation extends to Cioni’s former bandmate, Dominic Aaron Lee Evans, with a criminal record including burglary. Users compare Evans’ eyes and goatee to the footage, but again, no confirmation.
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Newly released photo of masked intruder entering Nancy Guthrie’s house. : r/creepy
The family has received ransom notes, some bogus, like those from arrested imposter Derrick Callella. Savannah, Annie, and brother Camron pleaded in a video: “We received your message… Please return our mother.” Family photos show warmth, contrasting the nightmare.
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Experts like former agent Tracy Walder urge letting professionals handle it, warning amateur sleuthing can harm. Fact-checkers label these claims “Viet Spam,” originating from foreign sites for clicks.
The beard and jawline theory, while intriguing, lacks official backing. It hasn’t shifted the investigation, which continues with billboards, searches, and tips lines. Nancy’s health makes time critical. Until facts emerge, treat such “breaking news” skeptically—it’s more hindrance than help.
