FBI Director Kash Patel said they are seeking multiple persons of interest in the ongoing disappearance of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie.
Patel told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that they’ve made “substantial progress” over the last two days. Patel’s interview came hours after the FBI released surveillance and stills of a person outside of the 84-year-old’s Tucson home on the night she vanished.
“As you know, with any investigation, you’re a person of interest until you’re either eliminated or you’re actually found to be the culprit or the culprits involved, and that’s the stage we’re at right now,” Patel said, per the New York Post. “And that’s what we’re doing, protecting the integrity of the investigation, but we’re also being very public.”
the man, who was only identified as Carlos, was released a few hours after he was detained at a traffic stop in Tucson. The man’s mother-in-law said her son was delivering food when he was detained, which happened around the time authorities broke down her door and searched her home.
“I hope they get the suspect, because I’m not it,” Carlos told reporters outside of his mother-in-law’s home in Rio Rico, some 65 miles from Guthrie’s home north of Tucson.
The man was detained hours after the FBI released footage and surveillance stills of someone outside of Guthrie’s home around the time she vanished on January 31. Alarms were raised the following morning, when Guthrie failed to arrive at a friend’s home to watch virtual church services.
Tucson television station KOLD fully identified Carlos, but CrimeOnline will not do so to provide some measure of safety for him since he was not charged with any crime and was released. His mother-in-law also said Carlos was not involved in the kidnapping.
“They had somebody give a tip that the lady was in my house,” the woman said. “I told them you can go in and search my house; there is nobody there. I have nothing to hide.”
She said Carlos was driving her daughter’s vehicle when police stopped him and took him into custody and said she told them Carlos doesn’t own any of the clothing or other items seen in surveillance footage.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told KOLD that a medical helicopter that left the Rio Rico area Tuesday night had nothing to do with the case.
In addition to locating Guthrie, police are investigating two ransom notes that were reportedly sent to local news outlets. One of the notes demanded millions in Bitcoin in exchange for Guthrie’s return.
As of Wednesday, officials have not named any suspects, and no arrests have been made.
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[Featured image: Instagram]