Guthrie case investigators question neighbors about any internet issues on the night she disappeared
Guthrie case investigators question neighbors about any internet issues on the night she disappeared
Authorities investigating Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance have inquired with residents of her Tucson neighborhood about potential disruptions to their internet services on the night she went missing. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI conducted door-to-door visits in the Catalina Foothills on Thursday, seeking information from homeowners. Multiple individuals shared with NBC News that the agents specifically asked if they had encountered any connectivity problems during the critical timeframe.
Homeowners noted that the investigators mentioned reports of intermittent internet glitches from several neighbors in the area. Two residents stated that the agents also requested footage from Jan. 11, though no official confirmation has been given about the relevance of that date. Three homeowners who spoke with NBC News on Thursday confirmed they were either asleep or away at the time of the abduction and couldn’t recall any issues with their internet service.
One couple notices Ring camera malfunction
A neighboring couple, who spoke to NBC News on Friday, reported an unusual glitch in their Ring camera system. They described four cameras on their property, with the one nearest to Nancy Guthrie’s home displaying a “not available” message when they attempted to retrieve footage from the night of her disappearance. The other cameras, located further away, functioned normally. The couple emphasized that they had never seen this warning before and found it “uncanny” that it occurred during the abduction timeframe.
“That’s really weird, isn’t it?” one of the couple remarked.
NBC News has contacted Ring for clarification, but the FBI and sheriff’s department have not provided comments on the reported internet anomalies or the reasoning behind their focus on this detail.
Sheriff’s team explores Wi-Fi jammer possibility
When asked by NBC News earlier this week about the likelihood of a suspect using a Wi-Fi jammer during the abduction, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos responded: “I’ve not looked at that closely, but yeah, I know my team has examined it with the FBI from every angle.”
Timeline and family efforts
The 84-year-old mother of TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie was last seen at 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 31 after dinner with her daughter Annie. She was officially reported missing on Feb. 1 following her absence from a friend’s house to attend a livestreamed church service. Officials describe the case as a possible kidnapping or abduction, but details remain sparse.
Last month, the FBI released doorbell camera footage and images of an armed, masked man with gloves, captured outside Guthrie’s home during the early hours of her disappearance. The individual is considered a suspect, though no identification has been made public. The suspect is estimated to be between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, with an average build, and was seen carrying a black, 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.
Family’s public appeal
Savannah Guthrie, who has taken a leave from her TODAY show role and is in Arizona with her family, visited the New York City studio recently. She stated her intention to return to her position. A spokesperson noted, “While she plans to return to the show on air, she remains focused on supporting her family and aiding efforts to locate Nancy.”
On Feb. 24, the Guthrie family announced a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy’s recovery. This joins existing offers from the FBI and Crime Stoppers. Liz Kreutz and Rebecca Cohen, NBC News correspondents, contributed to the reporting.
