Photo: Pima County Sheriff's Department/Getty Images
A man has been detained in connection with the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY Show anchor Savannah Guthrie, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the New York Post Tuesday (February 10) night.
The person, who has not yet been publicly identified, was reportedly detained during a traffic stop near Tucson after being followed by authorities late Tuesday. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed to FOX News that investigators were interviewing "persons of interest."
“Without polluting the investigation, I will say we have made substantial progress in these last 36-48 hours, thanks to the technical capabilities of the FBI and our partnerships and I do believe we are looking at people who, as we say, are persons of interest,” Patel said.
The detainment was reported hours after a surveillance video and photos showing a potential subject in connection with Guthrie's disappearance. Officials were referring to the person in the photo as a potential subject, but that didn't confirm that they are a subject in the ongoing investigation, two law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS News.
The individuals suspected of kidnapping Guthrie had reportedly stopped contact with her family after a $6 million ransom deadline passed on Monday (February 9), the FBI announced via the New York Post. The ransom deadline expired at 5:00 p.m. local time on Monday and there's no sign its been paid nor proof that Guthrie is still alive as of Tuesday morning.
“[The FBI] is not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers, nor have we identified a suspect or person of interest in this case at this time,” an FBI spokesperson said late Monday. “We are currently operating a 24-hour command post that includes crisis management experts, analytic support, and investigative teams. But we still need the public’s help.”
“Someone has that one piece of information that can help us bring Nancy home,” the agency added. “That’s all I will say… but it is chilling when you read that sentence. It is short and it is to the point.”
TMZ founder Harvey Levin, whose website was among the outlets to have received one of three unverified ransom notes, reported that the abductors warned there would be "consequences" if the Guthrie family didn't meet their demands.
“There is a direct, stark statement about consequences if they didn’t get that money,” Levin told CNN, adding that the note warned “it’s in the best interest” of everyone involved to resolve the matter quickly. “That’s all I will say… but it is chilling when you read that sentence. It is short and it is to the point.”
Savannah Guthrie made a "desperation" plea as the deadline for her family to pay the ransom neared on Monday.
“We believe our mom is still out there,” Guthrie said in a video shared on her Instagram account Monday afternoon. “She was taken, and we don’t know where.”
Savannah asked for anyone to across the country to report any suspicious activity they witness.
“I’m coming on just to ask you not just for your prayers, but no matter where you are — even if you’re far from Tucson — if you see anything, if you hear anything, if there’s anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement,” she said.
“We need your help,” she added.
Savannah and her siblings had previously agreed to pay in a video shared on Saturday (February 7).
“We received your message and we understand,” Savannah said, while holding hands with her brother, Camron, and sister, Annie in the video shared to her Instagram account. “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace.”
“This is very valuable to us, and we will pay,” she concluded.