Lead: The FBI on Feb. 12, 2026 released the first physical description of a person seen on the porch of Nancy Guthrie’s home outside Tucson and raised its reward to $100,000 for information leading to her whereabouts or an arrest. Guthrie, 84 and the mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen Jan. 31 and is believed to have been taken in the early hours of Feb. 1. Investigators say the suspect was captured on the Nest doorbell camera and that new details come from a forensic review of that footage. Authorities have meanwhile collected thousands of tips and say evidence, including gloves, is undergoing DNA testing.
Key Takeaways
- The FBI provided the first description of the person in the doorbell video: an adult male of average build, approximately 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10, according to an agency statement on Feb. 12, 2026.
- Investigators identified a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack on the subject in the footage and released reference images of a similar backpack.
- The reward for information leading to Guthrie’s location or the arrest and conviction of those responsible was increased from $50,000 to $100,000.
- As of the FBI statement, law enforcement had received more than 13,000 tips in the inquiry; officials had earlier reported receiving over 4,000 tips in the 24 hours after initial video images were released.
- The Nest doorbell at Guthrie’s home reportedly disconnected at 1:47 a.m. on Feb. 1; camera activity recorded a person at 2:12 a.m., and Guthrie’s pacemaker app disconnected at 2:28 a.m., per the timeline provided by authorities.
- Search teams recovered a pair of black gloves during the investigation; images published by the New York Post show gloves similar to those seen in the footage and the gloves are being tested for DNA.
- A man detained near Rio Rico, Arizona — about 12 miles from the Mexican border — was released early Feb. 4 after brief custody; authorities have not charged him.
Background
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen on Jan. 31 after visiting family and being driven home just before 10 p.m. She was reported missing on Feb. 1 when she failed to attend church the following morning. The case drew national attention because of her daughter Savannah Guthrie’s profile as a co-host on NBC’s “Today.” Local and federal authorities, including the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, jointly investigated from the outset.
Investigators initially withheld some surveillance media; on Feb. 10 they said images and video from the Nest doorbell were recovered from “residual data located in backend systems” and then released. That release prompted a surge of public tips and media coverage. Officials have also said they are examining possible ransom communications that reference payment in Bitcoin while urging caution about unverified claims circulating online.
Main Event
On Feb. 12 the FBI publicly described the person seen on Guthrie’s porch as an adult male of average build, roughly 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10. The agency said the identification follows a forensic analysis of doorbell camera footage and provided still images plus photos of a comparable black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack the person appeared to carry. This was the first time authorities labeled the person in the footage as a suspect.
The FBI simultaneously boosted the reward to $100,000 from $50,000 for information that leads to Guthrie’s location or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. Officials emphasized that the increase is designed to encourage additional tips as investigators sift through the growing volume of leads — more than 13,000, per the FBI statement.
Search operations recovered a pair of black gloves that a news outlet published alongside the case coverage; those gloves are reportedly being sent for DNA analysis and compared with items seen in the surveillance images. Separately, a man stopped in Rio Rico was briefly detained and later released; authorities call him not charged, and his status is unclear pending further inquiry.
Analysis & Implications
The release of a physical description marks a tactical shift: investigators are moving from raw imagery to forensic interpretation aimed at narrowing a suspect pool. The backpack detail — a specific brand and capacity — is concrete evidence that can be cross-checked against retail sales, social-media posts, and other camera footage in the region. If the gloves yield a usable DNA profile, that could produce a direct investigative lead, though DNA matches often take time and require corroborating evidence.
The case highlights how consumer devices factor into modern investigations. Officials reported the Nest doorbell disconnected at 1:47 a.m. and later showed person activity at 2:12 a.m.; the pacemaker app loss at 2:28 a.m. provides a narrow time window investigators can use to reconstruct movements and contacts. The multi-agency approach — local sheriff, FBI, and possibly federal cyber or forensic teams — reflects both the complexity of digital evidence recovery and the national attention the case has generated.
Geography also matters. Rio Rico sits about 12 miles from the U.S.–Mexico border, so investigators are alert to potential cross-border movement, though there is currently no public evidence linking the disappearance to an international transfer. Any ransom demands referencing Bitcoin complicate response options, since cryptocurrency payments are difficult to trace and can encourage further criminal behavior if acted on. Law enforcement has repeatedly urged the public not to engage directly with unverified ransom claims.
Comparison & Data
| Item | Earlier | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Official reward | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Tips reported | 4,000+ (first 24 hours) | 13,000+ (total at statement) |
| Doorbell activity | Disconnected 1:47 a.m. | Person detected 2:12 a.m.; pacemaker app 2:28 a.m. |
This simple table places the most frequently cited numeric details side by side to clarify investigative milestones: the doubling of the reward, the growth in tips, and the narrow set of timestamps investigators cite. Taken together, the numbers illustrate both the high public interest and the methodological challenge of turning digital timestamps and consumer-device captures into a definitive timeline and suspect identification.
Reactions & Quotes
Officials used the Feb. 12 statement to press for public assistance and to underline the forensic steps taken so far.
“We are following every lead and urge anyone with information, however small, to come forward,”
FBI statement (official)
Family members have appealed directly to the public and to the person or persons responsible, blending personal pleas with practical offers to incentivize cooperation.
“Please, if you have any information that can bring our mother home, tell us what you know,”
Savannah Guthrie (family appeal)
Local law enforcement also described how the investigation unfolded and clarified the status of individuals briefly detained.
“A man was detained following a traffic stop and later released; we continue to pursue all credible leads,”
Pima County Sheriff’s Department (local law enforcement)
Unconfirmed
- Whether the black gloves recovered during the search will yield a DNA match linking them to the suspect remains pending.
- Claims about ransom demands and their authenticity have not been independently verified by investigators and should be treated as unconfirmed.
- The brief detention in Rio Rico has not produced charges or public confirmation that the person had a direct connection to Guthrie’s disappearance.
Bottom Line
The FBI’s release of a suspect description and the doubling of the reward mark a visible escalation in the public phase of the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. Concrete details — the approximate height and build, the distinct 25-liter Ozark Trail pack, and the timestamps from device logs — give law enforcement specific leads to test and ask the public about. The surge in tips indicates intense public attention, but tips must be vetted; digital evidence and DNA testing will be central to confirming leads.
In the coming days investigators will likely focus on matching the backpack and gloves to purchases or other images, analyzing any DNA profiles that emerge, and tracing the origin and veracity of alleged ransom communications. For now, authorities continue to ask anyone with relevant information to contact the FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department; the increased reward aims to prompt additional, verifiable information that moves the case from public speculation to prosecutable evidence.
Sources
- CBS News (media report summarizing statements and developments)
- FBI Tucson Field Office (official agency contact and statements)
- Pima County Sheriff’s Department (local law enforcement official site)