Tucson Woman’s Disappearance: Disturbing Clues Emerge from Doorbell Camera Footage
The affluent Catalina Foothills neighbourhood of Tucson, Arizona, usually a picture of tranquility, has been gripped by fear and uncertainty following the abduction of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. Ms. Guthrie, the mother of esteemed Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her home in the early hours of February 1st. Her disappearance has sent shockwaves through the community and ignited a frantic search by local and federal authorities.
Ms. Guthrie had called her home on Prospect Row her own since 1975, raising her three children within its walls. While her neighbourhood is statistically safer than many others in Tucson, with minimal reported crime incidents in her immediate vicinity according to Pima County Sheriff’s Department data, Ms. Guthrie’s own experiences paint a more complex picture. Crimegrades.org data indicated her street straddled areas with a higher incidence of property crime compared to violent crime.
Indeed, Ms. Guthrie herself had encountered criminal activity. In September 2024, she posted on a neighbourhood app about a package theft from her front door, warning fellow residents to “Be alert.” This incident, however, was not the catalyst for her later decision to invest in security technology.
A little over a year later, in November 2021, Ms. Guthrie inquired on the same neighbourhood platform about purchasing a doorbell camera, specifically mentioning Ring or Nest. Interestingly, her initial motivation wasn’t for enhanced security against potential threats. She stated she was “interested in seeing animal activity at night.”
This interest in technology, however, has inadvertently provided investigators with crucial, albeit disturbing, evidence. Authorities have released chilling footage captured by a Nest security camera on Ms. Guthrie’s front porch. The video shows a masked individual, adorned with thick gloves, attempting to obscure the camera on the night of her abduction.
The investigation has since led authorities to the rugged desert landscape surrounding Ms. Guthrie’s home. During their extensive search, officers discovered a black glove lying in a small shrub. This glove bears a striking resemblance to the one worn by the masked man in the doorbell camera footage. The glove was carefully bagged and collected by authorities, who have remained tight-lipped regarding its potential owner.
The scene at Ms. Guthrie’s property has been a hive of activity. On Thursday, four officers were observed arriving in an unmarked black vehicle, carrying a bag into a large tent that had been erected at the property. Other officers brought in additional equipment. The tent, which effectively concealed the entrance to Ms. Guthrie’s home and the front porch area where investigators previously discovered blood matching her DNA, was dismantled approximately an hour after its setup. The purpose of the tent remains unclear, though such forensic tents are typically used when investigators are searching for or concealing critical evidence such as a body, weapon, or other significant findings.
The front porch, a focal point of the investigation, has been repeatedly accessed by authorities and family members. Exposed to the elements, the bloodstains found on the ground have been dried by the sun. One source from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, speaking anonymously, reportedly described the handling of the scene as “amateur hour.” Despite such criticisms, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department maintains that it is diligently sifting through thousands of tips, with the assistance of hundreds of detectives and federal agents.
Federal agents were also seen on Wednesday conducting a thorough search of the scrubland bordering Ms. Guthrie’s residence. Meanwhile, other investigators emerged from the home of Ms. Guthrie’s eldest daughter, Annie, carrying a stack of paper grocery bags and a white trash bag. One investigator, still wearing blue protective gloves, collected a stack of letters from the roadside mailbox belonging to Annie Guthrie and her husband, Tomasso Cioni, before departing without comment to the press.
Annie Guthrie and Tomasso Cioni were the last individuals to see Nancy. She had visited their home for dinner on January 31st. Ms. Guthrie was reported missing the following day after failing to arrive at a friend’s house for virtual church services. Tragically, she has not been seen or heard from since that evening.
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have been making public appeals for assistance in locating their mother. On Thursday, Savannah shared a heartfelt video tribute to Nancy, stating, “Our lovely mom. We will never give up on her. Thank you for your prayers and hope.”
The investigation is now broadening its scope, with authorities requesting security video footage from Ms. Guthrie’s neighbours. They are particularly interested in any recordings from 9 pm to midnight on January 11th, almost three weeks prior to her disappearance, and from 9:30 am to 11 am on January 31st, the day of her abduction, as a suspicious vehicle was reportedly sighted in the vicinity during that latter timeframe.
Sheriff Chris Nanos has characterised Ms. Guthrie as mentally sound but with limited mobility. The fact that she requires several medications raises urgent concerns about her health and well-being in their absence. The community and Ms. Guthrie’s family remain on edge, desperately hoping for her safe return.
