In a heart-wrenching development that has sent shockwaves through the already frantic search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie – the beloved mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie – a defiant Arizona homeowner has come forward to declare her son-in-law’s complete innocence after he was dramatically detained and grilled by investigators.
The emotional testimony from Josefina Maddox, speaking exclusively to reporters outside her Rio Rico home, has added fresh fuel to the high-stakes investigation now in its second week. Police swarmed her property following a tip that the missing elderly woman might be hidden there – only to seize electronic devices and release the man after hours of intense questioning.
“He has nothing to do with it – he’s my son-in-law and I know him!” Maddox insisted, her voice trembling with a mix of fury and fear. She described how officers arrived en mᴀsse, cuffing the 36-year-old delivery driver – identified by some reports as Carlos Alfredo Palazuelos – during a traffic stop before executing a search warrant at the family home about 60 miles south of Tucson.
Maddox claimed authorities showed her chilling surveillance images of the masked figure linked to her daughter’s disappearance. “I looked at those pictures and told them straight – that’s not him. The clothes, the way he moves, the build… it doesn’t match at all. My son-in-law was home that night!”
The grainy doorbell camera footage – now one of the most haunting pieces of evidence in the case – shows a sinister masked individual creeping up to Nancy Guthrie’s front porch in the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ of night, tampering with the camera and appearing to carry what looks like a weapon in a holster. The intruder, clad in dark clothing and gloves, deliberately blocks the lens with a hand before using nearby foliage to conceal the device further.
Experts have described the video as “pure gold” for investigators, recovered from residual data in backend systems after initial attempts failed. The FBI swiftly released enhanced images and a physical description: a male between 5’9″ and 5’10” tall, average build, carrying a distinctive black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.
But Maddox was adamant: “They tried to compare him to that monster on camera. No way. He’s not that person.”
The brief detention of her son-in-law came amid thousands of tips flooding into the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI H๏τlines – nearly 18,000 in total, with surges after each new release of evidence. Authorities have stressed that no formal charges have been filed against anyone, and the man was released without arrest early the following morning.
“This is every family’s nightmare,” one source close to the investigation told reporters. “We’re chasing every lead, but we won’t ruin innocent lives in the process.”
Nancy Guthrie, a vulnerable 84-year-old described as warm, church-going, and devoted to her family – including her famous daughter – vanished under deeply suspicious circumstances. She was last seen on the evening of January 31, 2026, when relatives dropped her off at her Catalina Foothills home near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue. The next day, February 1, she failed to appear for a virtual church service, prompting family members to raise the alarm.
Investigators quickly classified the case as a potential kidnapping, citing evidence of foul play at the scene. Blood traces on the porch and signs of disturbance fueled fears that the beloved grandmother was taken against her will in the overnight hours.
The FBI has ramped up efforts dramatically, offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to her location or the arrest of those responsible. Teams have scoured desert terrain, combed roadsides (where gloves matching the intruder’s were reportedly found), and even erected a tent outside Guthrie’s home to recreate nighttime conditions for forensic testing.
Savannah Guthrie, visibly heartbroken, has pleaded publicly for help: “We are at an hour of desperation.” The national spotlight on the case – amplified by her celebrity status – has turned every development into front-page news, with neighbors urged to share any pre-disappearance surveillance footage.
Meanwhile, the Rio Rico search has raised uncomfortable questions: Was the tip credible, or a cruel hoax? Maddox says her family is cooperating fully but feels traumatized by the ordeal. “They took our devices, searched everything – we’re not hiding a thing. Just find Nancy.”
As the clock ticks, the nation watches and waits. The masked figure in the footage remains unidentified, and every tip could be the breakthrough – or another ᴅᴇᴀᴅ end.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900 or the FBI tip line. Nancy Guthrie’s family and investigators refuse to give up hope.
This story is developing rapidly. Stay tuned for updates.
