In a dramatic Friday night development in a case that's garnered enormous public interest, three people were detained as a SWAT team executed search warrants connected to the abduction of the mother of NBC "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie -- and a neighbor claims another person shot himself in the head. Action unfolded at two locations -- both of them only about two miles from Nancy Guthrie's Tucson residence. As this is written, police have yet to reveal details.
The neighbor's unconfirmed claim of a suicide was first reported by News4 Tucson. Two men and one of their mothers were detained. So far, it's unclear if any of those three are considered suspects. A police source cautioned Fox News that "technically everyone is detained" when a search warrant is executed, and said Friday's action was prompted by a tip to police. A spokeswoman for the Pima County Sheriff's department confirmed the operation was related to Guthrie's Feb. 1 abduction. Before SWAT went into action, Fox News observed a single-engine, Pima County Sheriff's surveillance plan circling the area.
Police vehicles were used to block nearby intersections near a targeted house in a neighborhood that azcentral describes as "very similar" to Guthrie's. "Because this is a joint investigation, at the request of the FBI — no additional information is currently available," Pima County Sheriff's Department said on X. Reporters observed a long procession of police and civilian vehicles proceeding toward the house, including a forensics vehicle.
While two locations were searched, details are still fuzzy. Azcentral reported that, near midnight, a second house just a half-mile away was raided. However, the New York Times reported secondary sheriff and FBI activity not at a home, but at the parking lot of a Culver's restaurant, with investigators photographing a gray Range Rover, and shining flashlights into its interior. Fox News reports that a man associated with a search warrant was detained after a traffic stop at Culver's.
Video taken at the Culver's location showed deputies holding up a cloth to block onlookers' view of them as they seemingly removed something from the vehicle. The Range Rover cannot be readily identified in the video, but the New York Times reported the same activity:
After Guthrie's disappearance on Feb 1, police found an ominous trail of blood that seemingly indicated the 84-year-old had been violently removed from her home. On Tuesday, authorities released footage from a Nest camera showing an armed person wearing a jacket, gloves, pants and carrying a backpack. The person can be seen obstructing the camera before walking into the front yard, and then returning to the front door with a small flashlight in their mouth before attempting to cover the camera with what appears to be foliage.
After analyzing the footage, the FBI released a description of the suspect, saying it's a man of average build and roughly 5'9" to 5'10" tall. Investigators say the video shows him carrying a black, 25-liter "Ozark Trail Hiker Pack" backpack. Earlier this week, police detained a man, but Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators concluded he was not involved in the abduction.
On Friday, police said they'd found DNA at Guthrie's house which they couldn't link to known visitors. "DNA other than Nancy Guthrie’s and those in close contact to her has been collected from the property," the department told People. "Investigators are working to identify who it belongs to. We are not disclosing where that DNA was located."
As the days since Nancy Guthrie's disappearance have turned into weeks, worries about her health have been mounting. She has a pacemaker, cardiac problems, high blood pressure, chronic pain, major mobility limitations and requires many medications to manage her conditions. “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” Savannah Guthrie said in a Feb 7 video message. “This is the only way we will have peace.”