The FBI has recovered crucial new images from security cameras at the Arizona home where Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, was abducted nearly seven weeks ago—but the findings have deepened the mystery surrounding what happened to the beloved grandmother.
Sources briefed on the investigation told ABC News Friday, March 13, that investigators recovered several thumbnail images from three motion-activated cameras positioned around Nancy’s Tucson home. The cameras monitored her swimming pool, backyard, and side yard in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood, where she had lived for decades.
The recovered images show several individuals in Nancy’s backyard and side yards in the days and weeks leading up to her disappearance. Law enforcement officers also appeared near the pool after the kidnapping took place. But here’s the troubling part: the cameras captured absolutely nothing on the night Nancy vanished, despite recording activity in the days before and after the abduction.
Investigators were unable to recover actual video footage from the cameras—only thumbnail images that were automatically created when motion triggered the devices. According to sources, nothing suspicious appeared in the recovered images, leaving investigators without the breakthrough they desperately need.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Friday that it “continues to analyze various forms of evidence in the Nancy Guthrie case, including material from laboratories as well as images and videos captured by cameras.”
Nancy was last seen at her home on the evening of Jan. 31 after having dinner with her daughter Annie. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department officially launched a search on Feb. 1 after she failed to show up at a friend’s home to watch a live-streamed church service. Her pacemaker stopped syncing with her Apple devices at 2:28 a.m.—a chilling data point that may mark the moment she was taken.
The FBI previously released photos and videos showing an unknown armed suspect at Nancy’s front door the morning she disappeared. The masked man appeared to be tampering with a Nest security camera at the entrance. Sources say the suspect may have been at the front door earlier than Feb. 1 as well, suggesting possible surveillance of the property before the abduction.
The FBI has described the suspect as a male approximately 5 feet, 9 inches to 5 feet, 10 inches tall with an average build. He was carrying a black 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack—a model sold exclusively at Walmart, though investigators now believe it may have been purchased secondhand.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos addressed whether the suspect could strike again in an interview with NBC News. “Well, absolutely, absolutely,” he said. “Criminal minds are criminal minds.”
Nanos has stated repeatedly that he believes Nancy was specifically targeted but stopped short of revealing a possible motive. Federal investigators are also examining whether internet service disruptions in Nancy’s neighborhood the night she vanished could be tied to the abduction. Neighbors reported that their home security camera footage from that night was marked as “missing” or “not available”—a pattern that suggests sophisticated planning.
Despite the recovered images and earlier video evidence, investigators have identified no suspects. DNA evidence collected from the home—which does not belong to Nancy or anyone in close contact with her—is undergoing analysis, and investigators are turning to genetic genealogy in hopes of identifying the perpetrator.
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, Annie and Camron, have posted emotional video messages to potential kidnappers in hopes of bringing their mother home safely. The “Today” co-anchor offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy’s recovery, bringing the combined reward from the family and law enforcement to $1.2 million.
“We still believe in a miracle,” Savannah said when announcing the reward. “We also know that she may be lost. She may already be gone.”
Additional cameras were positioned over the driveway and at the front door, where the masked suspect was previously filmed. Her front doorbell camera is now missing, but other home security cameras were taken into evidence by the FBI. The thumbnail images from multiple cameras were expected to provide investigators with a clearer picture of activity around the property—but so far, the critical hours of the abduction remain a black hole.
Bloodstains found on Nancy’s front porch were confirmed to be hers. Authorities have expressed ongoing concern for her health, as she requires vital medication daily.
The investigation continues as authorities analyze all available evidence. Anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Pima County Sheriff’s Office at (520) 351-4900.
As the investigation enters its seventh week, the Guthrie family continues to hold out hope while preparing for the worst. Forty-four days have passed since Nancy disappeared from her home, and her family—and investigators—are running out of time.