DoorDash Driver Questioned and Released in High-Profile Nancy Guthrie Disappearance Case
In a significant development in the nationwide search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, a Rio Rico man named Carlos Palazuelos was detained for questioning but later released, according to reports from ABC15. The incident has added a new layer of intrigue to the investigation that has captivated the public since Guthrie vanished on February 1.
Detention and Release of Carlos Palazuelos
Carlos Palazuelos stated that he was detained at the location of an initial traffic stop south of Tucson, Arizona, where he was held for several hours. Police confirmed the detention in a post on X, formerly Twitter, noting it occurred in an area near where Savannah Guthrie's mother lived. Multiple media outlets reported that a home in Rio Rico was searched in connection with the case.
Josefina Maddox, identifying herself as Palazuelos's mother-in-law, claimed he was picked up by officials while making a DoorDash delivery. She vigorously defended his character, calling him a "good guy" and asserting that he has no criminal record or history of violence, as reported by News Nation. When shown surveillance images from Nancy Guthrie's Ring camera, Maddox refuted any resemblance to Palazuelos, stating she was "positive" he was at home during the time of the disappearance.
Who is Carlos Palazuelos?
While Carlos Palazuelos's nationality remains unknown, he has been described in several X posts, including one from the Surviving The Survivor Podcast, as a "DoorDash driver." Senior reporter and New York Post columnist Paul Sperry added in an X post that Palazuelos "delivers packages on contract for UPS" and drives a white van. Maddox explained that he stays at her house on weekends and does not go out, noting that his van is currently not working. When asked if he could have left during the night, she responded emphatically, "Oh, no, no."
Nancy Guthrie Case Update: Nationwide Attention and Ongoing Search
The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has drawn intense nationwide attention, with authorities appearing to have made little progress until recently. Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings have issued multiple video appeals, asking for their mother's safe return and signaling a willingness to pay a ransom. Officials describe Nancy Guthrie as mentally alert but with limited mobility, relying on several medications. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has repeatedly expressed concern that she could face life-threatening consequences without them.
Rio Rico, a community of about 20,000 residents located roughly an hour from Guthrie's home and about 15 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, has become a focal point in the investigation. Earlier Tuesday, footage was released showing an individual wearing a ski mask and carrying a backpack outside Guthrie's home. The video, totaling less than a minute, captures the person lowering their head, turning away from the doorbell camera, holding a flashlight in their mouth, and attempting to block the camera with a gloved hand and a piece of a plant pulled from the yard.
This footage, recovered from data on "back-end systems" after investigators spent numerous days locating lost or corrupted video, offers the first view of someone outside Guthrie's home in the foothills near Tucson. However, it does not reveal what happened to her or clarify whether she remains alive. FBI Director Kash Patel noted that the "armed individual" appeared to "have tampered with the camera," though it is unknown if there was actually a gun in the holster.
As the investigation continues, the detention and release of Carlos Palazuelos highlight the complexities and challenges in solving this high-profile missing person case, with authorities urging the public for any information that could lead to Nancy Guthrie's safe return.
