The masked person suspected of abducting Nancy Guthrie may have been on her doorstep earlier than February 1, the night she is believed to have been abducted, according to updates in a new report.
As first reported by ABC News, sources told the outlet that one of the images released by the FBI showing the suspect at Nancy’s front door may have been captured on Nancy’s Nest doorbell camera the day before the alleged kidnapping.
One image showed the suspect without a backpack, while other images showed the suspect wearing a backpack.
The FBI said the image showing the suspect carrying a backpack was taken on February 1, when Today host Savannah Guthrie, 84, was reported missing by her mother, Nancy, after she failed to attend a virtual church service.
Former FBI agent Jason Pack told ABC News that if the images are of the same person, “that person could have been there watching the kidnapping before it happened.”
“The fact that there was preparation and planning makes us think it’s a more sophisticated type of criminal activity than someone just showing up,” he told the outlet.
At this time, authorities have not identified any suspects in connection with Guthrie’s disappearance. According to a statement from the Pima County Sheriff’s Office obtained by Page Six, “We are aware that the doorbell images released early in the investigation depict the suspect in various stages of clothing, including with and without a backpack. There are no date or time stamps associated with these images. Therefore, any suggestion that the photos were taken on different days is purely speculative.”
“This remains an active and ongoing criminal investigation,” the statement continued. “As with any investigation, conclusions are guided by verifiable evidence and established facts. Speculation without factual support will not move the investigation process forward.”
There is also a growing theory that the suspect seen on camera was not acting alone and that another person may have taken part in the abduction.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said earlier this month that he believed the man seen in the video was the “prime suspect” and “likely perpetrator” of the kidnapping, but federal authorities continued to reveal that multiple people may have been involved.
FBI Director Kash Patel previously said the agency was investigating multiple “persons of interest” in the case.
The search for Guthrie entered its third week Sunday.
The investigation appears to be winding down, with no significant progress made since early February, and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office told the Post that staffing levels remain the same as when the investigation began, with 300 to 400 people still assigned to the case.
