A delivery driver who was held by law enforcement in connection with the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie burst into exhausted laughter as he protested his innocence following his release.
Carlos Palazeulos was nabbed by officials in Rio Rico, Arizona amid the probe into the suspected kidnapping of the 84-year-old.
Nancy, who is the mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on January 31 at her home some 60 miles away in Tucson.
Authorities initially stated they had no suspects or persons of interest until Palazeulous was pulled over and detained by cops on Tuesday.
In footage captured by ABC15, Palazeulos spoke with the outlet immediately after being released without charge by Pima County Sheriff’s Deputies just after 1am on Wednesday.
A reporter with the outlet asked him if he had anything to say on his detainment, telling Palazeulos, ‘We’re trying to figure out what is going on.’
Initially hesitant, Palazeulos smiled and told the reporter: ‘Nah, I’m good thank you’ before he went to enter a vehicle.
Before he even had a chance to close the door however, Palazeulos turned on his heels and spilled what happened to him.
Carlos Palazeulos let out an exhausted laugh while speaking with ABC15 after he was released by officials investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie
Nancy Guthrie, seen here with her daughter and Today anchor Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her $1 million home in Tucson, Arizona, in the early morning hours of February 1
‘Okay I’ll let you know’, he said as he closed the door, he then added: ‘I was arrested for kidnapping but I didn’t do it.’
Palazeulos said his wife pulled over their vehicle after realizing they were being followed by law enforcement.
‘They told me I was being detained for kidnapping, and I asked “kidnapping of who?”, and they told me this lady, I don’t know her name,’ he said.
The reporter asked Palazeulos if her name was Nancy Guthrie, to which he responded: ‘That’s her, I might have delivered a package to her house but I never kidnapped anybody.’
Palazeulos said he had never heard of her until Tuesday and chuckled when the reporter said he was the person of interest arrested in the case.
It remains unclear why police turned their attention to him, but it came hours after the FBI released the first surveillance photos of a suspect seen lurking near Guthrie’s home on January 31, the night she was taken.
Palazuelos was questioned for several hours then released without charge. Police are yet to name any other suspects, but FBI Director Kash Patel says investigators are considering ‘multiple persons of interest’.
Palazuelos also spoke with reporters outside his home and continued to plead his innocence in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Palazeulos, seen here speaking with reporters outside his Arizona home, was detained for several hours in connection with the abduction of Guthrie before being released without charge
A Pima County Sheriff’s Department member stands next to his vehicle in front of Nancy Guthrie’s home on Tuesday
He said: ‘I hope they find the suspect, cause I’m not it – they better do their job and find the suspect that did it so they can clear my name.’
Palazeulos also added that while he was in custody police searched his home, where he lives with his wife, children and in-laws.
He claimed that officers who raided the address broke down his front door and his garage doors. The Daily Mail attempted to contact Palazeulos on Wednesday.
Federal authorities were inundated with tips and are looking at more than ‘one person of interest’ after they released horrifying doorbell camera footage yesterday.
An armed figure wearing a ski mask and black latex gloves was spotted tampering with Nancy’s Nest doorbell camera in the early hours of February 1.
As officials continue their search, TMZ reported that a Bitcoin account referenced in ransom letters sent to media outlets has saw some activity after a deadline passed.
The news website is one of three outlets that received alleged ransom notes in connection with Nancy’s abduction.
Unidentified sources involved in the investigation told the outlet that officers believe the ransom notes were written by the kidnapper.
Sources said the letters referenced specific damage to Nancy’s home and other details that have not been made public.
On Wednesday TMZ confirmed that they had received a third letter which said the sender knew the kidnapper and was demanding one Bitcoin to reveal their identity.
Nancy was last seen entering her home after having dinner with her daughter, Annie, and son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni.
The next morning, she was reported missing after failing to attend a virtual church service with friends, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said.
Except for the video released by officials on Tuesday, there has been little new information about the case since she vanished.
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