Man Detained in Nancy Guthrie Case Speaks Out After He’s Released

A man briefly detained by Arizona authorities in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie says he was wrongfully suspected and held for hours before being released without charges.

The man, who identified himself only as “Carlos,” was stopped south of Tucson on Tuesday afternoon and taken into custody by deputies with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Law enforcement earlier confirmed that a man had been detained during a traffic stop as part of the investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance.

Authorities also indicated they were preparing to search a location associated with the individual — which Carlos later described as his “in-laws’ house.”

Shortly after midnight, Carlos spoke with reporter Ford Hatchett, saying he had never even heard of Nancy Guthrie prior to his detention.

“They didn’t even tell me what’s going on until the detectives got here … They told me I was being detained for kidnapping, and I asked them, ‘Kidnapping of who?’” Carlos asked.

“Nancy Guthrie,” Hatchett said.

Carlos replied: “Yeah, that’s her. And I told him, I work in Tucson for GLS. I might have delivered a package to your house, but I never kidnapped anybody. They held me from like 4 p.m. [local time] to right now.”

He said officers ultimately released him due to a lack of sufficient evidence.

“Like, they didn’t have no – it was insufficient evidence. Like, they only had a phone on me. That’s all they had,” he said.

Carlos admitted the experience left him shaken.

“Sh*t, bro. I’m facing life. I’m going to lose everything.”

By the end of the night, he said deputies informed him he was “free to go.” According to Carlos, Pima County authorities told him he was cleared locally, though he was advised that the FBI could still follow up.

“I’m innocent,” he insisted. “I’ll let you know that. I didn’t do anything.”

HATCHETT: So, Carlos, so, walk me through it. They had you here. I know you just said it. Had you heard of Nancy Guthrie before tonight?

CARLOS: Never until today.

HATCHETT: Never until today?

CARLOS: I watched the news and I googled her number or her name. And they couldn’t prove it to me. Like, they didn’t have no – it was insufficient evidence. Like, they only had a phone on me. That’s all they had. And supposedly I was at her house, but like I said, I work delivering packages to GLS. I might have delivered a package to your house.

HATCHETT: But didn’t kidnap anybody?

CARLOS: No. [laughs]

HATCHETT: So what’s going through your head when they’re telling you you kidnapped somebody?

CARLOS: Sh*t bro. I’m facing life. I’m going to lose everything.

HATCHETT: And so they have all this. They detain you. You’re here for hours. And what did they just tell you?

CARLOS: That I’m free to go.

HATCHETT: Free to go.

CARLOS: Yeah. And Pima County, they already cleared me, but the FBI, they might not or something like that. I don’t know. I’m still like –

HATCHETT: So Pima County has let you go. They said the FBI may be in contact with you or something?

CARLOS: The detective in charge right here – I don’t remember his name – he told me that they’re not looking into me no more, but somebody else might.

HATCHETT: Okay. Obviously you said you hadn’t followed this news. This is big major news. It’s Nancy Guthrie who’s the – her daughter is Savannah Guthrie who hosts the Today Show on NBC. So, it’s been big news. She’s been missing for more than a week. So, they have put out, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, put out that they had detained a person of interest. And I guess that’s you.

CARLOS: I guess so. [laughter]

HATCHETT: How do you feel about that? People are watching this all over.

CARLOS: I’m not happy about it.

CARLOS: I was just stopped at south of Tucson.

HATCHETT: So I guess south of Tucson is where you are here in Rio Rico.

CARLOS: I guess so.

CARLOS: Yeah. No. Well, I’m innocent. I’ll let you know that. I didn’t do anything. Like I said, I didn’t even know what was going on until the FBI and the Pima County detective arrived and they told me, “Well, you’re being detained for kidnapping.” And all of a sudden, they read me my Miranda rights. Now you’re being under arrest. I’m like, “What the is going on?”

HATCHETT: And now free to go.

CARLOS: Yeah. Now I’m free to go.

HATCHETT: Oh man, what a night, huh?

CARLOS: Bro, tell me about it.

HATCHETT: Your family’s doing all right? You got to see them?

CARLOS: Well, they broke into my in-laws house. Now we got to go.

Nancy Guthrie, 84, disappeared from her Tucson home in the early morning hours of February 1. The case has drawn national attention, particularly after a reported $6 million bitcoin ransom demand and the release of surveillance images showing a masked, armed individual outside her residence.

Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect, and the investigation remains active. Federal officials have urged anyone with information to contact the FBI at 1 800 CALL FBI or submit tips at tips.fbi.gov.

As President Donald J. Trump’s administration continues to emphasize law enforcement coordination and accountability during his second term, the case underscores the importance of both vigorous investigation and the constitutional presumption of innocence.

For Carlos, the ordeal may be over — for now. But for the Guthrie family, the search for answers continues.