Investigators searching for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of TV host Savannah Guthrie, found a set of gloves along a roadway near her Tucson home as the inquiry entered its 12th day on Thursday. The FBI conducted an extensive search Wednesday along multiple roadways in the Catalina Foothills north of Tucson and continues to offer a $50,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts. Authorities have released surveillance footage showing a masked person at Guthrie’s front door around the time she vanished and have erected and later removed a tent over the entryway while technicians processed the scene. Law enforcement says tips have flooded in — roughly 18,000 calls overall, including about 4,000 on one recent day — and one individual has been detained and later released as investigators follow multiple leads.
Key takeaways
- Investigators recovered a single set of gloves on the side of a road near Guthrie’s house; the items are being tested for DNA and other forensic markers.
- The FBI led an “extensive search” Wednesday across several roads in the Catalina Foothills, north of Tucson, as the missing-person inquiry entered day 12 on Thursday.
- Federal authorities continue to offer a $50,000 reward for information; the tip line remains 1-800-CALL-FBI.
- Officials have received nearly 18,000 tips since Guthrie disappeared and reported about 4,000 calls in one 24-hour period during the search.
- Surveillance footage released by the FBI shows a masked, gloved individual tampering with a front-door camera; height and weight estimates have not been publicly released.
- One person, Carlos Palazuelos, was detained and later released; Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has indicated additional detainments are likely as leads are pursued.
- Investigators requested neighborhood doorbell footage for Jan. 11 (9 p.m.–midnight) and Jan. 31 (9:30–11 a.m.) to help identify a suspicious vehicle seen in recent material.
Background
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing after she was last seen at her residence in the Catalina Foothills area north of Tucson, Arizona. Her disappearance on Feb. 1 prompted an immediate response from local and federal law enforcement; the FBI joined the Pima County Sheriff’s Department due to the case’s complexity and public profile. Savannah Guthrie, a national TV host, has publicly appealed for information and posted family footage to keep awareness high. The neighborhood’s mix of single-family homes, frequent service workers and shared contractors has complicated witness canvassing and prompted investigators to ask residents to preserve Ring and other surveillance footage from specific time windows in mid- and late-January.
Missing-person investigations of this profile typically generate a large volume of public tips, and officials say the Guthrie case has been no exception. Authorities are using forensic teams, doorbell-camera footage, vehicle location leads and digital tools in parallel to narrow leads. Local residents have reported concern and heightened vigilance; some neighbors are re-checking past footage that might otherwise be overwritten. Law enforcement stresses the need for accurate, timely tips and has warned that misinformation can hinder progress.
Main event
On Wednesday, investigators located a pair of gloves along a roadway near Guthrie’s home; sources say the items were collected and sent for DNA testing. The recovery came amid an “extensive search” by the FBI across multiple streets in the Catalina Foothills, conducted as the overall search entered its 12th day on Thursday. Drone and ground teams have also photographed and searched brush and roadside areas roughly 1.3 miles from Guthrie’s residence, near the intersection of Camino Miraval and Campbell Avenue, according to law enforcement activity observed by reporters.
At Guthrie’s front entrance, authorities briefly erected a white tent over the doorway where the residence’s doorbell camera captured footage of a masked person approaching and apparently tampering with the device. The tent was later taken down; officials have not disclosed what, if any, evidence was ultimately recovered from the doorway. The FBI released previously “inaccessible” doorbell footage earlier in the week but has not published physical descriptions such as height and weight for the suspect.
Investigators detained one person, identified in local reporting as Carlos Palazuelos, during a traffic stop and searched his home before releasing him. Police said they had additional information that led to that detainment but did not provide details. Authorities have told the public to expect more detainments as investigative leads are pursued and thousands of tips are processed; sheriff’s officials said they are working through the volume of incoming information.
Officials have also said they are using Next Generation Identification (NGI) software and other analytic tools to build leads from surveillance imagery. Forensic teams carried cameras and evidence collection gear into Guthrie’s home as part of the multiagency investigation, and technicians continue to examine items recovered inside and outside the residence for DNA, fingerprints and other trace evidence.
Analysis & implications
The discovery of gloves near the roadway is potentially significant but not dispositive: gloves can hold touch DNA on interior surfaces or fibers, yet environmental exposure can degrade biological material. If the gloves match those seen in surveillance footage, they could establish a physical link between the person on camera and the roadside recovery; however, testing must establish a verifiable DNA profile before investigators can draw firm conclusions. Forensic analysts will also compare glove brand, size, wear patterns and any trace matter to materials recovered from the home.
Surveillance footage showing a masked, gloved individual has produced lead investigators toward identifying distinctive non-facial features — for example, an apparent wrist marking or tattoo and a right-handed posture when the person handled an object. Former FBI profilers and analysts note that tattoos, gait, hand dominance and clothing details can meaningfully narrow suspect pools when facial images are obscured. At the same time, experts caution that low-resolution imagery and heavy clothing reduce the utility of automated face-matching tools and require layered human review.
The use of NGI and other biometric or analytic systems can speed candidate identification, but they have limits and must be paired with corroborating evidence and traditional detective work. Public tips remain a critical component: authorities say they have fielded nearly 18,000 calls, and processing that volume takes time and resources. High-profile cases also risk spawning false leads; family members and investigators have both urged the public to submit concrete, verifiable information rather than speculation.
Comparison & data
| Date / milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| Jan. 11 (9 p.m.–midnight) | Investigators requested neighborhood doorbell footage for this window. |
| Jan. 31 (9:30–11 a.m.) | Another requested footage window tied to a potentially suspicious vehicle. |
| Feb. 1 | Date Guthrie was last known at her home; surveillance shows masked individual around this time. |
| Search day 12 (Thursday) | Investigative activity continued; gloves recovered on roadway; $50,000 reward remains posted. |
| Tip volume | Nearly 18,000 tips received; ~4,000 calls in one 24-hour span. |
The table above condenses the key time points and measurable data released so far. While the timeline highlights the two specific pre-disappearance windows investigators requested from neighbors, the larger data point is the public response: thousands of tips can produce both valuable leads and duplicative or false reports that require triage. Forensic results from the gloves and any material recovered inside the house are the next quantifiable outputs that could shift the investigation into a new phase.
Reactions & quotes
Officials, experts and family members have publicly responded as the investigation progresses. Former FBI supervisory agent Scott Duffy reviewed released materials and said they appear consistent across images, stressing the importance of detailed feature analysis beyond a single frame.
“They do look like the same person at first glance,”
Scott Duffy, retired FBI supervisory special agent
Former FBI profiler Jim Clemente highlighted the greater likelihood of finding usable forensic evidence inside the residence compared with outdoor items exposed to weather, and he pointed to a possible wrist marking visible in footage as a potentially helpful identifier.
“Indoor areas are more protected; coming up with a tattoo match could rule people in or out,”
Jim Clemente, former FBI supervisory special agent
Joe Petito, whose own family experienced a widely publicized missing-person case, warned about the risks of rapidly spreading unverified information while acknowledging the importance of public support for families in these circumstances.
“Support is crucial, but false information can spread quickly and harm investigations,”
Joe Petito, family member of a missing-person case
Unconfirmed
- It is not yet confirmed whether the gloves found on the roadside are the same as those worn by the masked person in the doorbell footage; DNA and material testing are pending.
- Media-circulated images that appear to show a wrist marking have not been publicly verified as a tattoo or linked to any named individual.
- Claims that two separate suspects are involved are unverified; former agents and current investigators have not confirmed multiple perpetrators.
- The exact reason for and evidence recovered under the temporary white tent at the front door have not been publicly disclosed by authorities.
Bottom line
The discovery of gloves near Nancy Guthrie’s home and the release of doorbell footage have provided new, tangible leads but not yet a conclusive break in the case. Forensic testing of the gloves and material seized from inside the house will be central to determining whether those items link the video subject to physical evidence. Meanwhile, the large volume of tips — and the public’s attention — means investigators must rapidly triage information while guarding against misinformation.
Officials say additional detainments are possible as leads develop, and authorities continue to ask neighborhood residents to preserve and submit any relevant surveillance footage for the two specified time windows. The next few days of test results and follow-up interviews are likely to shape whether the inquiry moves from evidence-gathering toward targeted prosecution or further search operations.