Witnesses fear the worst as three people detained in Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case

FBI agents and Sheriff’s deputies searched a Range Rover in a Culver’s parking lot during a major operation, with witnesses observing investigators remove a large item from the covered trunk

Witnesses fear the worst as three people detained in Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case

FBI agents and Sheriff’s deputies searched a Range Rover in a Culver’s parking lot during a major operation, with witnesses observing investigators remove a large item from the covered trunk

Charl Wright US Showbiz Reporter and Gavin Quinn

04:35 ET, 14 Feb 2026Updated 06:02 ET, 14 Feb 2026

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Sheriff’s deputies were hiding the interior of a vehicle’s trunk(Image: X/ Fox10 Phoenix)

FBI agents and Sheriff’s deputies were seen covering the trunk of a car, before pulling out something witnesses were unable to see.

On Friday, February 13, investigators conducted a SWAT raid at a Tucson location, with three individuals being detained.

A witness further alleged that there was a shooting at the scene. However, this is yet to be confirmed by authorities.

Two people, a man and a woman, were detained at a residence in the city’s Shadow Hills neighborhood, whilst another was detained during a traffic stop.

The three detainees were said to have complied with orders, and their detention is believed to be in connection with the Nancy Guthrie case. A Shadow Hills resident described the heavy law enforcement presence in the area as “unbelievably absurd”.

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Witnesses fear the worst after FBI raid connected to Nancy Guthrie case

The resident said: “It’s making everybody nervous. It’s just surreal, and we just can’t imagine how the family is processing all this.”, reports the Express US.

Amid the SWAT operation, just miles away, a Range Rover was searched in a Culver’s parking lot. This vehicle is believed to be connected to Nancy’s disappearance, with investigators filmed examining it.

During their investigation of the car, FBI agents and Sheriff’s deputies covered its open trunk with a sheet of yellow tarp, blocking people’s view inside the vehicle. With the license plate obscured and the scene well-concealed, officers were seen using their flashlights to inspect the trunk before extracting what seemed to be a large bag.

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Sheriff’s deputies held a yellow sheet up to allegedly cover a body(Image: X/@kgun9)

Locals have speculated as to what could be behind the sheet, though authorities provided no confirmation.

After the sizable item was removed, it was transferred into another vehicle, with investigators promptly folding up the yellow tarp. The Range Rover was then reportedly seized as evidence, as videos depicted it being towed away from the scene.

This development comes as the probe into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance nears its third week, with the 84-year-old last spotted on January 31.

The mother of three was reported missing the next day when she didn’t show up for her regular Sunday morning church service in Tucson, Arizona.

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Nancy Guthrie has been abducted since January 31 as investigators hunt for the kidnappers(Image: Getty)

After a concerned parishioner reached out to her family, police discovered blood on Nancy’s front door and signs of forced entry, leading them to suspect she was abducted.

Since her disappearance, multiple ransom demands have been issued, with one asking for $6 million in Bitcoin from Nancy’s family.

Moreover, media outlet TMZ reported receiving a third email from a man purporting to know the identity of Nancy’s abductor. The sender demanded $100,000 from the FBI in return for information and cautioned that it would be the last communication.

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This figure represented an increase from an earlier demand, which had requested one Bitcoin, valued at approximately $65,000, to mirror the FBI’s doubled reward of $100,000.

The email suggested an upfront $50,000 Bitcoin payment in return for “the name of the main individual along with his information for you to track.”