The mother-in-law of the man detained in connection with Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance has spoken out.
The Arizona woman, who identified herself as Josefina, told NewsNation she believes her son-in-law is innocent.
Josefina told the outlet that her son-in-law was inside their Rio Rico home when the 84-year-old vanished on February 1.
The person of interest was detained during a traffic stop, and was just miles from the Mexican border when police nabbed him.
Although officials have detained a man in relation to the case, the individual is not named as a suspect at this time, NewsNation reported.
‘My daughter and he, and the kids, my grandkids, were doing DoorDash when they got stopped here,’ she told the outlet of her son-in-law’s detainment.
She also told CNN authorities are searching her home after they received a tip related to the investigation.
‘I told them you can go in and search my house, there is nobody there. I have nothing to hide,’ Josefina said.
The woman, who identified herself as Josefina, claims to be the mother-in-law of the man detained by police in connection with Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance
An unidentified individual has been detained for questioning in connection with Today Show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother’s abduction
The 84 year old was reported missing after failing to attend a virtual church service with friends on February 1
She insisted that her son-in-law had ‘nothing to do’ with the 84-year-old’s disappearance, as authorities continue to investigate the detained man.
Josefina added that police did not present a search warrant before entering her home.
‘I’m sorry what’s happened to [the Guthries],’ she said.
‘I don’t know her, I don’t know anything about their lives or what’s going on, but I’m so sorry – whoever took her, I hope she got back safe.’
Authorities also showed Josefina the surveillance footage of the suspect from Nancy Guthrie’s ring camera, but she said there was no resemblance to her son-in-law.
Video showed an armed figure clad in a ski mask and carrying a backpack, wearing black latex gloves.
The suspect can also be seen tampering with the mother-of-three’s Nest doorbell camera and ripping the camera from its holder on the door frame.
‘They showed me a video to see if it was him, to see … if I recognize the things he was wearing, he doesn’t have any of that. He doesn’t have anything that comes in the video,’ she told ABC15’s Lillian Donahue.
Josefina told the outlet that her son-in-law was inside their Rio Rico home when the 84-year-old vanished
From the Instagram Account of Savannah Guthrie, featuring her mother, Nancy Guthrie
An individual is seen wearing a ski mask, and gloves outside Guthrie’s home
Images from a Nest camera installed at Nancy Guthrie’s home were released by the FBI
Josefina said her son-in-law was a ‘good guy,’ and has no prior criminal record, assuring that she was ‘positive’ he was at home when Guthrie was snatched.
‘On the weekends, he stays at my house. He doesn’t go nowhere,’ she told the outlet.
It is unclear whether police believe the detained person is the armed figure in the video.
Authorities were seen searching a gray SUV in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, footage from the scene in Rio Rico shows.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to CNN that the vehicle was the same one pulled over during a traffic stop during which a man was taken into custody for questioning.
Footage from the scene shows the vehicle surrounded by Pima County Sheriff’s Department vehicles and Marana Police cars.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies block a street where a person was detained for questioning
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to CNN that the vehicle was the same one pulled over during a traffic stop during which a man was taken into custody for questioning
Footage from the scene shows the vehicle surrounded by Pima County Sheriff’s Department vehicles and Marana Police cars
A witness who spoke exclusively to the Daily Mail described the traffic stop where the person of interested was detained.
‘There were five or six unmarked cars and they had a silver SUV pulled over, a police car facing it. Two guys were out of a car, and their hats said “FBI,”‘ Krystal Bacica recounted.
‘The only police car that was marked said Marana Police,’ she continued, noting that ‘they pulled the car right in front of my apartment building in Frontage Road, Rio Rico.’
