The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, has reached a dramatic new turning point after authorities confirmed they have identified the masked individual captured on surveillance footage outside her home.

On Tuesday, FBI Director Kash Patel released the first official images and video of the suspect, revealing that law enforcement chose to make the footage public only after investigators were confident about the man’s identity and role in the case.

According to federal officials, the masked figure was seen tampering with and disabling the front-door security camera at Nancy Guthrie’s residence near Tucson, Arizona, on the morning she disappeared.

Investigators say the footage represents the final visual record linked to Guthrie before she was taken from her home — and could prove crucial in understanding what happened in her last known moments.

The FBI confirmed it has spent the past eight days working alongside the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and private-sector technology partners to recover previously inaccessible video and image data buried deep within backend systems connected to the home’s security network.

In a statement posted on X, Patel explained that the newly released images were recovered from residual digital data that had not been immediately visible during the early stages of the investigation.

“As of this morning, law enforcement uncovered new images showing an armed individual, now identified by investigators, appearing to interfere with the front-door camera at Nancy Guthrie’s home on the day of her disappearance,” Patel wrote.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen outside her home on January 31. Since then, authorities have openly stated they suspect foul play, prompting an escalating federal investigation and emotional public pleas from both the FBI and the Guthrie family.

The case has been further complicated by reports that multiple media outlets received ransom letters tied to the disappearance. According to the Associated Press, at least one letter demanded money and included strict deadlines.

One deadline reportedly expired on February 5, with a second passing Monday evening. Officials confirmed that at least one arrest has already been made in connection with a fraudulent ransom demand, though investigators stress that the primary case remains active and unresolved.

As pressure mounts, the FBI has announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to answers in the case. To expand the search, digital billboards displaying Guthrie’s image and tip-line details have been placed across Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.

Authorities are urging anyone who recognizes the individual in the footage or has information related to the case to contact the FBI immediately by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting tips via tips.fbi.gov.

Investigators say the decision to release the images now signals a critical moment in the case — as the focus tightens around a suspect whose actions were caught in the final recorded moments before Nancy Guthrie vanished.