Phoebe Tonks
Police investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie have revealed they have taken an individual into custody for questioning over the worrying incident.
84-year-old Nancy has been missing from her home in Arizona since January 31, with authorities believing she was kidnapped in the dead of night.
Blood belonging to the pensioner was found near her house steps, and several 'ransom notes' were reportedly sent to major media outlets demanding payment for her return.
Up until now, authorities have had no leads as to who may be behind the sinister crime, with Tuesday’s development marking the first time a specific individual has been questioned.
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The Pima County Sheriff's Department detained the individual in a location south of Tucson during a traffic stop, and as per ABC News, is now reportedly set to search a location linked to the individual.
CNN has since reported that the person has been released, and the sheriff's department added that authorities had completed their search of the property in Rio Rico.
The latest update follows on from video footage made public on Tuesday, which shows a masked individual appearing to tamper with the camera on Nancy's front door.
It is currently unknown whether the person who was detained is the same person seen in the video.
Authorities have also explored all avenues in their search for Nancy, which included searching daughter Annie Guthrie’s home.
Located approximately four miles from her mother’s longtime home in Tucson, the house Annie shares with her husband, Tommaso Cioni, was the last place Nancy visited prior to her return home on the night she went missing.
It is understood she had enjoyed a quiet dinner with the pair before Cioni drove her home. After she was dropped off at home, at some point during the night, she is believed to have been kidnapped.
It was the following day before her family reported her missing on Feb 1, after she failed to show up for a scheduled church service.
Shortly after her disappearance went viral, the culprits issued sinister ransom notes demanding bitcoin payments for her safe return - and despite missing two critical deadlines set for payment, eventually the Guthries said in a video message: “We will pay.”
How much and to whom, however, continues to remain uncertain - but tragically, even despite her children agreeing to pay, Nancy still remains missing.
Even more concerningly, Nancy is far from in good health and relies on daily medication, which she is currently without.
Earlier in the search, Savannah explained: "She is 84 years old. Her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer."
The FBI is urging anyone with tips or leads to call 1-800-CALL-FBI in addition to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office number, 520-351-4900.