Investigators have ruled out a man seen carrying backpacks in late-night surveillance video near the home of missing Arizona grandmother Nancy Guthrie. The footage had sparked fresh scrutiny in the high-profile case, but officials now say the individual is not connected to her disappearance. The update comes as authorities continue to process evidence and sift through thousands of tips.
Man shown in security clip near Nancy Guthrie’s home cleared in disappearance case
TMZ first released the video, which shows a man carrying one backpack and throwing another over a brick wall at about 1.52 a.m. That timestamp lines up closely with when a masked, armed intruder reportedly showed up at 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie’s home in the Catalina Foothills. Reports say someone recorded the footage roughly 4.2 miles away from her residence.
Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie’s mother, was last seen on January 31. Her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, had dropped her off at home after she had dinner with him and her daughter, Annie. Since then, authorities have been reviewing evidence and chasing down every new lead that comes in (via New York Post).
At first, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI asked for help identifying the man so they could question him. Later, though, two officials told NBC News that investigators cleared him and ruled out any connection to the case.
The search for Nancy Guthrie has now entered day 12, and investigators are still working around the clock. Deputies have urged neighbors to check their cameras and turn over any security footage that might help piece together who moved through the area and when.
The sheriff’s department confirmed that they are sending all gathered evidence in for testing, including a black glove found along the roadside near Guthrie’s home. Reports say the glove looks similar to one the suspected kidnapper may have worn.
Meanwhile, people across Tucson, especially neighbors in the Catalina Foothills, have been stopping by Nancy Guthrie’s home to leave yellow flowers and handwritten notes. Many see yellow as a symbol of hope. “Yellow means hope,” one resident told NBC News. “We hope they find her; I hope she comes home.”
