Carlos Palazuelos was released without charges after being questioned in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie and later spoke to local media, saying he is innocent.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A man detained for questioning in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has been released without charges and has publicly denied any involvement in the case.
Carlos Palazuelos, 36, was taken into custody Wednesday in Rio Rico, Arizona, about 20 minutes from the U.S.-Mexico border, by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities stopped him during a traffic stop and questioned him in connection with the abduction investigation involving the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie.
Palazuelos works as a contract delivery driver for companies including FedEx, UPS and DoorDash. At the time of his detention, he was living with his mother-in-law, Josefina, after being evicted from a previous residence.
During the search of the home, his mother-in-law spoke with reporters, asserting that Palazuelos had no history of violence and suggesting that a van drawing attention in the investigation was likely used for delivery work. In social media footage, she identified him as the person detained in the case, as seen in a post by Jorge Bonilla. NewsNation also reported her comments, stating that she told reporter Brian Entin her son-in-law was innocent and had no criminal history, as shared in a post by NewsNation.
After several hours of questioning, authorities released Palazuelos without filing charges.
Speaking to Ford Hatchett of ABC 15 News after his release, Palazuelos described the traffic stop.
“I pulled over because they were following me, and once I saw that they were following me, I pulled over. They didn’t even have to put a traffic stopper on it until I got off the car, and they arrested me as soon as I got out of the car. They didn’t tell me what was going on until the detectives got here, like two hours after I got arrested,” he said.
“Then when they… I don’t know her name—Nancy Guthrie?” Palazuelos added.
He told reporters he may have delivered a package to Guthrie’s residence but denied any involvement in her disappearance. “I might have delivered a package to her house, but I never kidnapped anybody,” he said.
Video clips circulating online following his release included posts stating that the detained individual was not connected to the crime, including one shared by B. Wilkins III and another by JLR, in which Palazuelos is heard saying he is innocent.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen Jan. 31 after being dropped off at her residence by her son-in-law following a family dinner. She was reported missing the following day after failing to attend church.
Investigators have said the family received a $6 million ransom demand in bitcoin, with a deadline of Feb. 9 that passed without payment or further communication. The alleged kidnappers have not provided proof of life.
On Tuesday, the FBI released additional images and video related to the case, including footage of a suspect tampering with surveillance equipment at Guthrie’s home. FBI Director Kash Patel shared new images in a post on X, stating that federal and local authorities had been working to recover video footage from the residence, as seen in his post here.
Authorities also confirmed that less than $300 was moved into the bitcoin wallet associated with the ransom demand, according to a report.
Television host Jesse Watters said on air that investigators believe the suspect may be from the Tucson area, citing reporting that the search has narrowed geographically. A post by Andrew Kolvet referenced those remarks and noted law enforcement response activity near Guthrie’s home.
No arrests have been made in connection with the alleged abduction itself. Authorities continue to investigate.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900, or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Original article
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