Police have released a man hours after detaining him in connection to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC news anchor Savannah Guthrie, CBS News reported.
Authorities detained the man, identified only as Carlos, during a traffic stop and subsequently searched his home in Rio Rico, south of Tucson, Arizona. After being released, Carlos claimed he did not know who Nancy Guthrie was, stating, I don't follow the news.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing for more than a week, prompting a widespread search and appeals from her family for information.
In his remarks after being released, Carlos expressed hope for capturing the true suspect, asserting, I hope they get the suspect, because I'm not it. He described the ordeal of being tailed by officers without being questioned and waiting hours in a parking lot during the detention.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed they were conducting a court-authorised search of his premises in connection with Guthrie's disappearance. The investigation escalated after the FBI released images showing a masked individual armed and tampering with a camera at Nancy Guthrie's doorstep on the night she went missing.
Family members, including Savannah Guthrie, have been vocal on social media, pleading for assistance in locating Nancy, citing her fragile health condition and lack of access to necessary medication. The latest ransom notes hinting at her abduction have further heightened the urgency of the situation.
The FBI is currently offering a $50,000 reward for any information that may facilitate finding Nancy Guthrie.
