Suspect approached Nancy Guthrie’s door before the night she disappeared, source says

TUCSON, ARIZONA: The masked suspect in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie approached her doorstep on a separate night before the morning authorities believe she was abducted, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

Authorities believe the 84-year-old was abducted from her residence against her will, after she was last seen on January 31. Newly revealed details about the suspect captured on doorbell camera footage have added further complexity to the case as investigators continue their multi-week search.

Masked suspect footage and Nancy Guthrie disappearance

The masked person captured on doorbell camera footage at Nancy's home the morning she is believed to have been kidnapped was also seen at her doorstep on another night, a source told CNN. 

The development is another clue in the exhaustive search for the mother of 'Today show' host Savannah Guthrie. The photos and video of the masked person on Guthrie’s doorstep were previously released by the FBI on February 10.

These were taken on two different days, rather than only on February 1, when authorities believe she was abducted, the source said. 

According to the source, the masked suspect is not wearing a backpack in one of the images, further indicating the footage spans separate dates. The FBI released video and photos showing a masked, armed man tampering with Nancy's doorbell camera on the morning of her disappearance.

From that footage, investigators identified that the man was wearing an Ozark backpack, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities are still attempting to identify other items seen in the video and determine where they might have been purchased.

Investigation efforts and family pleas

Residents in Nancy’s neighborhood were asked by the sheriff’s department to submit video footage dating back to January 1. Authorities specifically focused on two dates, January 11 between 9:00 pm and midnight, and January 31 between 9:30 am and 11 am. 

The department also requested footage showing cars, traffic, people or pedestrians, or anything unusual or potentially important. Investigators continue reviewing “thousands of hours” of video obtained from the greater Tucson area, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the case.

They are also conducting lab analysis on DNA found at Nancy's home, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said. DNA on gloves discovered two miles from the home did not return any matches in the national database known as CODIS and does not match DNA found at the house, Nanos said.

Despite these developments, investigators have no leading theory regarding a motive, according to a source. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that more than one person may have been involved.

Her children have repeatedly pleaded for her return, using social media to address purported ransom notes sent to several media outlets and to ask the public for help. Despite reports of ransom communications, neither the family nor law enforcement have confirmed whether the notes were real or whether they made contact with the sender.