A delivery driver who was briefly detained in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has been released without charges, authorities confirmed, as the search for the missing mother continues into its eleventh day. The development comes amid intense public interest and widespread media coverage, largely spurred by Nancy’s connection to TODAY co‑host Savannah Guthrie, whose prominence has kept the case in headlines nationwide. Despite this heightened attention, law enforcement officials have been careful to emphasize that the investigation is being conducted with the same diligence and procedural rigor applied to any missing persons case, irrespective of familial or public status. Thirty‑six‑year‑old Carlos Palazuelos, who works as a delivery driver for DoorDash, was taken into custody on February 10 while performing his usual route in Arizona. Investigators questioned him for several hours, reviewing relevant records and conducting interviews, before ultimately determining that there was insufficient evidence to hold him on suspicion of any crime. With his release, officials reiterated that he is not a suspect and is free to continue his life and work, even as authorities and community members alike continue to search for answers about Nancy’s whereabouts. The release marks a new phase in the case: one in which the focus returns more fully to the ongoing search, active investigative work, and outreach to the public for assistance, as law enforcement seeks new leads that might explain what happened in the days before and after Nancy vanished.
Police have framed Palazuelos’s brief detention as part of standard investigative procedure rather than an indication of guilt or suspicion rooted in direct evidence. According to law enforcement sources, he came to their attention during the course of routine review of delivery records, surveillance footage, and neighborhood activity from the day Nancy was last seen. Investigators were examining patterns of movement in the vicinity of her residence, including all delivery vehicles and service calls, in hopes of establishing a detailed timeline that could help narrow down potential routes of travel, contacts, or unusual behavior. During his work shift in Arizona, officers located Palazuelos and initially detained him to secure a voluntary interview, a tactic frequently used in complex missing persons cases to rule out individuals with incidental connections before they become entrenched in speculation. In interviews with investigators, Palazuelos answered questions about his movements, delivery logs, and interactions with customers, offering details of where he had been and what he had observed on the day in question. After several hours of questioning and verification of his statements against available data — including tracking information from GPS logs and DoorDash records — authorities concluded that there was not enough evidence to justify charging him with any offense related to Nancy’s disappearance. He was released later that same day, with law enforcement affirming that he is not being held as a suspect and that there is no indication he has any direct ties to Nancy beyond the possibility of routine deliveries.
In a series of statements following his release, Palazuelos maintained his innocence and described his experience with law enforcement as unnerving yet cooperative. Speaking briefly to reporters, he said he felt confused and frightened when approached by officers, noting that he had been unaware of any connection between himself and the missing woman until the interview began. “I have nothing to hide,” he was quoted saying, expressing a desire to clear his name as quickly and fully as possible. He reiterated that he had no prior relationship with Nancy or her daughter, and that any contact between them was incidental — likely limited to leaving a package at the front door if he happened to be assigned that delivery on the relevant day. Palazuelos described the experience as overwhelming not only because of the intense questioning but also because of the public attention surrounding the case, which he acknowledged had put additional pressure on everyone involved. Friends and family members of Palazuelos also spoke publicly in his defense, portraying him as a hardworking, law‑abiding individual with deep ties to his community. They emphasized his cooperation with investigators and expressed relief that he was no longer detained, while also urging the public to focus its attention on the ongoing search for Nancy rather than speculation about secondary figures whose only apparent connection is professional, not personal.
DoorDash, the company Palazuelos works for, released an official statement confirming that it has been in contact with law enforcement and is assisting investigators in any way possible, including providing delivery logs, internal data, and employee cooperation as requested. The company — one of the largest delivery platforms in the United States — underscored that it takes matters involving customer safety very seriously, even when allegations involve incidents that occur off the platform or in contexts tangential to its operations. DoorDash expressed sympathy for the Guthrie family and called the situation deeply distressing, emphasizing that it is fully supporting the investigative process. Representatives encouraged anyone with credible information related to Nancy’s disappearance to come forward and share it with authorities. While company officials clarified that DoorDash itself is not under investigation, they acknowledged that reviewing delivery data is a standard part of efforts to construct a timeline and rule out potential leads. Analysts in the logistics and tech sectors have noted that this type of cooperation — sharing GPS tracking, order histories, and courier routes — can be crucial in piecing together sequences of movement when individuals go missing under unclear circumstances, especially in densely populated or residential areas where multiple services interact with the same address.
Amid these developments, investigators also disclosed that ransom notes demanding cryptocurrency payments have surfaced in connection with the case, a revelation that has added complexity to the ongoing inquiry. According to law enforcement officials, the notes do not contain explicit threats of harm but nonetheless request digital currency in exchange for information or the supposed safe return of Nancy. The messages, which reference cryptocurrency — a form of digital money that is difficult to trace — have not been attributed publicly to any known individual, group, or motive, and authorities have refrained from confirming whether they believe the notes are credible or part of a malicious scheme unrelated to Nancy’s actual circumstances. The FBI, which joined the investigation shortly after Nancy was reported missing, has been evaluating the contents of the notes and the manner in which they were delivered, but details remain limited as officials balance the need to withhold certain investigative techniques with the desire to keep the public informed. In addition to reviewing these demands, federal agents have also released surveillance images showing a masked individual appearing to tamper with a doorbell camera near Nancy’s residence around the time she vanished. The grainy footage shows a person partially obscured by clothing, and investigators are working to determine whether this individual’s actions are related to the disappearance or simply coincidental. Identifying the person in the images remains a priority, but authorities have yet to confirm that the individual is the same person seen in other shots or that they possess definitive links to the case.
As the investigation enters its eleventh day, authorities say they are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry and remain committed to evaluating all evidence with painstaking care. Search efforts continue in neighborhoods around Nancy’s last known location, with law enforcement officers canvassing streets, reviewing digital and physical data, and conducting interviews with potential witnesses. In addition to official searches, community members have organized volunteer efforts, including door‑to‑door outreach and coordinated vigils in support of the Guthrie family, expressing hope for Nancy’s safe return while urging anyone with information — no matter how seemingly insignificant — to contact investigators. Law enforcement officials have repeatedly cautioned against speculation, calling on the public to allow trained professionals to follow the evidence as they work to reconstruct the timeline of events that led up to and followed Nancy’s disappearance. Authorities have emphasized that the case remains open and fluid, and they have underscored that even small details — a vehicle’s description, a timestamped delivery, a conversation overheard on a neighborhood street — could prove critical in determining what happened. In closing remarks, investigators reiterated the importance of community cooperation and reminded citizens that missing persons cases often hinge on collective awareness and shared information, urging anyone with tips to reach out promptly as the search for clarity and resolution continues.
