Crime & justice

Man Questioned, Released in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance

Did authorities have reason to question Carlos Palazuelos or do new FBI leads point investigators toward other suspects?

FEB 11·Updated FEB 12

Man Questioned, Released in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance

Story

Above: Police and news crews stationed outside Nancy Guthrie's residence in Tucson, Arizona on Feb. 10, 2026. Image credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The Facts

Authorities detained a man during a traffic stop in Rio Rico, Arizona, on Tuesday evening for questioning in connection with Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, but released him hours later without charges. The man, who identified himself as Carlos Palazuelos, told reporters he had been held for several hours and questioned about his whereabouts before being released.
Pima County Sheriff's Department on X
NBC
BBC News
Palazuelos told reporters he works as a delivery driver in the Tucson area and may have delivered a package to Nancy Guthrie's home, but he said he didn't know who she was and had nothing to do with her disappearance. Investigators showed his mother-in-law surveillance photos of a masked person and told her they resembled his eyes.
Andres Gutierrez on X
FOX News
Parade
The FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Department later conducted a court-authorized search Tuesday night at a Rio Rico property Palazuelos said he lives at with his wife and mother-in-law, about 60 miles (97 km) south of Tucson. Authorities completed the search early Wednesday morning and said the investigation remained ongoing.
NBC
ABC 15 Arizona
Arizona Daily Star
The FBI released surveillance video and images on Tuesday showing a masked, armed person wearing gloves and a backpack at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning she disappeared. The footage was recovered from residual data in backend systems after the doorbell camera was disconnected at 1:47 a.m. on Feb. 1.
FBI Director Kash Patel on X
The New York Times
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen on Jan. 31 when she was dropped off at her Catalina Foothills home near Tucson after having dinner with family members. She was reported missing on Feb. 1 after failing to attend a church service, and investigators found blood at her home that was confirmed to be hers.
News Nation Now
BBC News
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have released multiple videos pleading for their mother's safe return, noting that Nancy Guthrie requires daily medication and has a pacemaker that disconnected from her phone early on Feb. 1. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information in the case.
E! Online
X

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Carlos Palazuelos, detained and later released in connection with Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, is innocent and has nothing to hide. Authorities broke down the family’s door to search their Rio Rico home without showing a warrant, handcuffing Palazuelos in front of his family. His mother-in-law insists the surveillance photos don't match him — noting he doesn’t wear backpacks, has no criminal history, and is a good person.

OK! Magazine USA

Narrative B

After investigating Palazuelos, federal authorities are pursuing new leads in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, flooding her Tucson-area neighborhood with agents after receiving alleged tips identifying a suspect. The FBI is conducting extensive searches along multiple roadways, reviewing doorbell footage of a masked individual, and examining a third alleged letter demanding one Bitcoin in exchange for the identity of the abductor. Officials confirm multiple persons of interest remain under investigation as the case develops.