Nancy Guthrie kidnapping: FBI shares fresh details on suspect’s physical description, raises bounty as probe intensifies; key details inside

Nancy Guthrie kidnapping: Fresh details about Nancy Guthrie’s alleged abductor have emerged as the FBI intensifies its investigation into the kidnapping of Savannah Guthrie’s mother. The Phoenix office of the federal probe agency announced on Thursday (February 12, 2026) that it has increased the reward for any information "leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance" to $100,000.

Earlier the agency had stated that a $50,000 reward would be offered to individuals with information that led to Nancy's discovery or the arrest of those involved in her kidnapping.

FBI provides more details about suspect

In a social media post, the FBI provided additional details about the suspect, based on the FBI’s Operational Technology Division's "forensic analysis" of the previously obtained doorbell camera footage. "The suspect is described as a male, approximately 5’9” - 5’10” tall, with an average build. In the video, he is wearing a black, 25-liter ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack."

The agency hopes that the new details will "help concentrate the public tips." Since the investigation began on Feb. 1, the FBI has received 13,000 tips from the public. "Every tip is reviewed for credibility, relevance, and information that can be acted upon by law enforcement. Threat Intake Examiners at the National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) and FBI personnel are supporting a 24-hour command post in which dozens of agents and investigators are assigned leads and tips to action each shift."

Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie: A recap of what we know so far

• Nancy, 84, who is a mother of three, including the 'Today' show host Savannah Guthrie, is believed to have been abducted from her longtime Tucson, Arizona, home in the early morning hours of February 1, 2026.
• A massive investigation was launched to discover Nancy, who, according to law enforcement, was taken against her will, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said at a press conference on February 3, 2026.
• The potential kidnapper or kidnappers sent alleged ransom notes linked to Nancy's disappearance to several media outlets. On February 7, 2026, Savannah and her siblings posted an emotional video on Instagram, saying, "We will pay.”
• A major breakthrough in the case emerged on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, when authorities released surveillance photos and video footage of an "armed individual" on Nancy's front porch.
• In the images and video the probe agency and the Pima County Sheriff's Department shared on social media, a person was seen wearing a ski mask, a zip-up jacket, and gloves while carrying a backpack and approaching Nancy's front porch.
• FBI Director Kash Patel also shared a video on X showing the person appearing to tamper with the Nest camera at Nancy's front door.
• Savannah, 54, shared an Instagram post pertaining to the armed individual who came to her mother's door. "Someone out there recognizes him. We believe she is still out there. Bring her home," she wrote in the social media post.
• Authorities have sought footage from Ring and Nest cameras in the neighborhood and are testing a black glove found near the home for DNA, according to PEOPLE.