The Arizona DoorDash driver who was detained by law enforcement Tuesday night as part of the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance has been released after several hours in custody, authorities confirmed.
The man — who identified himself as a delivery driver named Carlos — said he was frustrated by the ordeal, explaining that he had no connection to the case and had never heard of the 84-year-old missing woman or her daughter, “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, before being questioned by investigators per the New York Post.
“They held me against my will,” Carlos Palazeulos, 36, said to reporters. “They didn’t even read me my rights until two hours later.”
The man — identified as Palazeulos — said his wrists were left swollen from handcuffs after he was detained and questioned by authorities. Speaking outside his home in Rio Rico, a small border community about 60 miles south of Tucson, he maintained his innocence, saying he had done nothing wrong.
Palazeulos said he and his wife were driving when they noticed law enforcement vehicles following them and decided to pull over, at which point he exited the car. He explained that he works in Tucson for a parcel delivery service but does not recall ever encountering Nancy Guthrie, who has been missing since Feb. 1.
Palazeulos said he told investigators that he works in Tucson for GLS and may have delivered packages in the area, but firmly denied any involvement in a kidnapping.
“I told them, I work in Tucson for GLS. I might have delivered a package to her house, but I never kidnapped anybody,” he told ABC15, adding that he was held from approximately 4:00 p.m. for several hours.
He also told authorities he had never heard of Nancy Guthrie or her daughter, Savannah Guthrie, explaining that he does not follow the news.
“I hope they get the suspect, because I’m not it,” he said. “They better do their job and find the person who did this so they can clear my name.”
Palazeulos further claimed investigators did not explain why he had been targeted for questioning. He was ultimately released without charges being filed.
Newly released photos and video footage appear to show a masked individual outside the Tucson, Arizona, home of Nancy Guthrie — the 84-year-old mother of “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie — in what authorities describe as a significant development in the ongoing disappearance investigation.
According to the New York Post, the images and two short video clips depict an armed person wearing a ski mask, gloves, a zipped jacket and a backpack standing near the front door of Guthrie’s residence. FBI Director Kash Patel shared several of the still images on social media, marking the first time authorities have publicly released visuals of a potential suspect.
A former FBI agent told The Post that the way the individual handled the weapon and attempted to conceal a Nest doorbell camera suggested a lack of experience, calling the actions “amateurish.”
The release of the footage represents one of the most notable updates in the case since Nancy Guthrie vanished in the early morning hours of Feb. 1. She was last seen after being dropped off at her home by her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, following a dinner with him and her daughter, Annie.
