El misterio que rodea la desaparición de la madre de 84 años de la presentadora de NBC News, Savannah Guthrie, se ha profundizado.
La policía de Arizona detuvo a un hombre en relación con el presunto secuestro el 10 de febrero, antes de liberarlo horas después.
Las fuerzas del orden continúan investigando una serie de aparentes notas de rescate que podrían haber sido enviadas por la persona o personas detrás del presunto crimen.
La familia Guthrie ha hecho varias peticiones públicas para que su madre regrese sana y salva, y ha pedido pruebas de que su madre todavía está viva.
Esto es lo que sabemos sobre el caso.
¿Cuando desapareció Nancy Guthrie?
Guthrie fue vista por última vez en su casa en Catalina Foothills, un barrio acomodado aproximadamente a seis millas (10 kilómetros) al noreste de Tucson, el 31 de enero por la noche, cuando sus familiares la dejaron alrededor de las 21:30 hora local (04:30 GMT).
A la 01:47 hora local del 1 de febrero, la cámara del timbre de su casa fue desconectada y retirada.
A las 02:28, la aplicación de su marcapasos, un dispositivo cardíaco implantado, se desconectó de su teléfono.
La preocupación aumentó cuando los miembros de su iglesia notaron su ausencia en el servicio del domingo y notificaron a su familia.
Después de que la familia llamó al 911, las autoridades comenzaron una búsqueda que pronto incluyó voluntarios y oficiales federales de la Patrulla Fronteriza, que se prolongó hasta la mañana siguiente.
Más de una semana después, las autoridades publicaron videos e imágenes que mostraban a una persona enmascarada, que según dicen estaba armada, en su puerta la noche en que desapareció.
Las imágenes muestran a la persona acercándose a la puerta principal de su casa, luego revisando la cámara antes de alejarse, recogiendo algo de vegetación del suelo y usándola para cubrir la lente de la cámara.
Savannah Guthrie compartió el video en Instagram. «Alguien reconoce a esta persona», dijo. «Creemos que aún está ahí fuera. Tráiganla a casa».
La policía dijo que encontró sangre en el porche de Nancy Guthrie y el análisis confirmó que era suya.
Las autoridades también advirtieron que su salud podría ser delicada sin su medicación.
Se la ha descrito como «no gozando de buena salud física», pero no se han reportado problemas cognitivos, dijo el sheriff del condado de Pima, Chris Nanos.
Mientras los equipos de prensa llegaban al tranquilo suburbio de Arizona donde vive la mujer desaparecida, las autoridades cerraron el acceso a su calle, ubicada debajo de las montañas de Santa Catalina en caminos bordeados por el cactus Saguaro del estado.
¿Quién es la persona detenida y liberada por la policía?
ReutersHours after sharing the footage of the masked person, police detained a man for questioning at a traffic stop in Arizona in connection with Guthrie’s disappearance, but released him later that night, according to the BBC’s US news partner, CBS News.
After his release, a man, identified only as Carlos, told reporters outside his home that he did not know who Nancy Guthrie was.
«I hope they get the suspect, because I’m not it,» Carlos said, according to footage posted by reporters on social media.
A woman who identified herself as his mother-in-law earlier said that he had nothing to do with the case.
«They’re just invading my property,» she was quoted as saying by CBS.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department had confirmed police were conducting a court-authorised search at a location in Rio Rico, south of Tucson, Arizona.
What did the alleged ransom notes say?
FBI Special Agent Heith Janke said his agency had been reviewing a possible ransom note sent to several media outlets.
Details about an Apple watch and a floodlight at Nancy Guthrie’s home were in the note.
Police said one ransom note sent to the media had two deadlines: one at 17:00 on 5 February and another on 9 February.
The FBI also said it had arrested a person for a fake ransom note on 5 February.
Then on 6 February, authorities said they were investigating a new message related to the case. A statement from the FBI and the sheriff’s office said they were «inspecting the information provided in the message for its accuracy».
The statement did not say who received the note, or any details that it may have contained.
A presenter for a local affiliate of CBS News told the BBC that her channel received the «message». The presenter did not detail what was in the message.
In her emotional plea, Savannah Guthrie said she and her family were aware of the ransom note as well. She addressed the potential abductor or abductors directly.
«We are ready to talk,» she said, adding that, «we need to know without a doubt that she is alive and you have her… Please, reach out to us.»
In a separate video on 5 February, her brother Camron said the family still had not received any contact from «whoever is out there holding our mother», adding: «We want to hear from you».
On 6 February, the family released a third video, with Savannah Guthrie saying: «We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her.»
She added: «And we will pay.»
On Monday, ahead of a reported ransom deadline, Savannah Guthrie released another video pleading for the public to help locate her missing mother.
«I just want to share a few thoughts as we enter another week of this nightmare,» she said in a the video posted on Instagram. «She was taken, and we don’t know where. And we need your help.»
On 6 February, officials said they are offering a reward of $50,000 (£36,000) for information that leads to an arrest.
US President Donald Trump, who ordered federal authorities help in the investigation, has called the case «very unusual».
Who is Savannah Guthrie?
Guthrie, 54, is an American broadcast journalist who has served as the co-anchor of NBC News’ Today since 2012. She is also the network’s chief legal correspondent and a primary anchor for its election coverage. Previously, she was NBC News’ White House correspondent.
Guthrie was born in Australia, but when she was a toddler her family moved to Tucson, Arizona, where she grew up for most of her childhood. She did not travel back to Australia until 2015, visiting with her mum Nancy and fulfilling her «lifelong dream to return», she told the Daily Telegraph.
«For my mum to come back and get to see where she used to live brings back a lot of happy memories with my dad,» Guthrie told the Daily Telegraph.
Guthrie, who maintains a public stance of political neutrality, has interviewed presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Trump.
She has a law degree from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Arizona.
She has won an Edward R Murrow Award for ethical electronic journalism and multiple News Emmys, including for an interview with Trump a month before the 2020 election.