FBI Releases Critical Footage in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance Case
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released compelling new video evidence in the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie from her Tucson, Arizona home. The footage, captured on February 1, 2026, shows a masked individual armed with what appears to be a weapon tampering with a Google Nest doorbell camera outside Guthrie's residence.
Suspect's Actions Captured in Detail
The newly released video reveals a chilling sequence of events. A masked figure carrying a backpack approaches Guthrie's front door and begins manipulating the security camera. The individual then gathers foliage from the surrounding area and attempts to cover the camera's lens, apparently trying to obscure their identity and actions from recording.
According to investigators, this tampering attempt represents a critical error by the suspect. Despite successfully disconnecting and removing the camera afterward, the footage of their actions remained preserved on Google's servers and was subsequently recovered by law enforcement.
How Authorities Recovered the Footage
Private investigator Andy Kay provided crucial insight into how the FBI managed to obtain this evidence despite Nancy Guthrie not having an active subscription to Google's Nest recording service.
"The cameras will record to the servers as long as they have internet connection," Kay explained to Page Six. "According to Nest's system, without a subscription, new images typically overwrite previous recordings quickly. However, when the camera is disconnected, there's nothing new to overwrite the last captured images on the server."
Kay elaborated that because this was the final image sequence captured before the suspect disconnected the camera, it remained preserved on Google's servers rather than being automatically deleted. "Essentially, without a subscription, it functions like a livestream being sent to the server where new images override previous ones. But this final recording was preserved because there were no subsequent images to replace it," he detailed.
Family's Emotional Appeal to Public
Savannah Guthrie, Nancy's daughter and co-anchor of NBC's "Today" show, shared the disturbing images on her Instagram account with an urgent plea for public assistance. "Someone out there recognizes this person. We believe she is still out there. Bring her home. We believe she is still alive," the 54-year-old television personality stated, according to Page Six reports.
The emotional appeal underscores the family's ongoing hope for Nancy Guthrie's safe return despite the troubling circumstances surrounding her disappearance.
Timeline of Events Leading to Disappearance
Investigators have pieced together the following sequence of events:
- On the evening of January 31, 2026, Nancy Guthrie took an Uber to her sister Annie's house for dinner.
- Annie's husband, Tommaso Cioni, drove Nancy back to her Tucson home later that night.
- She was reported missing the following day after failing to attend a scheduled church service.
Law enforcement officials believe Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped while sleeping and "harmed" during the abduction process. This conclusion is supported by the discovery of her blood trail outside the front door of her residence. Adding to concerns, investigators noted that Guthrie requires daily medication, which was left behind at her home.
Ongoing Investigation and Public Assistance
The FBI continues to investigate Nancy Guthrie's disappearance as a kidnapping case. The released footage represents a significant breakthrough, providing both visual evidence of a suspect and insight into their methods. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the individual captured in the video or details about Nancy Guthrie's whereabouts to come forward immediately.
This case highlights both the vulnerabilities and forensic possibilities of modern home security systems, even when homeowners don't maintain active subscription services. The preserved footage demonstrates how digital evidence can survive attempts at destruction, potentially providing crucial leads in criminal investigations.
