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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Person Detained For Questioning In Nancy Guthrie Case Released; Nine Killed And 25 Injured In Shootings In Canada; Trump Set To Host Netanyahu At The White House; FAA Closes El Paso Airspace For 10 Days. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired February 11, 2026 - 04:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[04:00:30]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome to our viewers Joining us from the U.S. and all around the world, I'm Rahel Solomon with breaking news.

We begin this hour in Arizona and that's where the search for 84-year- old Nancy Guthrie is now stretching into an 11th day. Last hour our affiliate KNXV reported that a person detained for questioning by the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department has now been released.

The individual was picked up during a traffic stop in Rio Rico, about 60 miles south of Tucson near the U.S.-Mexico border. Sheriff's officers and the FBI also searched a home in Rio Rico, but were told that they have now cleared that scene.

As of now, a law enforcement source tells CNN that authorities still don't know where Nancy Guthrie might be.

Now these developments came after the FBI released these new video and images on Tuesday which captured and which were captured by Nancy Guthrie's nest doorbell camera. They showed a masked armed individual attempting to block the camera near early morning hours of February 1st.

Hours later, Nancy Guthrie was reported missing by her family and authorities maintain their belief that she was abducted. They still have not publicly identified any suspect, but FBI director Cash Patel says that the agency is looking at potential persons of interest. Let's get more now with reporter Sherrell Hubbard who has more details on the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ten days into the search for Nancy Guthrie and new details are emerging. Guthrie's purported kidnappers demanded $6 million in Bitcoin by 5:00 p.m. Monday in apparent ransom notes sent to TMZ and other media outlets. TMZ reporting that they've been monitoring the bitcoin account and spotted a change Tuesday evening.

HARVEY LEVIN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, TMZ: All I can say is there is now activity in that bitcoin account.

HUBBARD (voice-over): And the FBI is releasing new video of a masked person who appears to have tampered with Guthrie's doorbell camera. At one point in the video, the person obstructs the camera's view with a plant. Authorities have said the camera was disconnected just before 2:00 a.m. on February 1, the day she was reported missing.

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: You can see what appears to be a Mustache, the individual, some hair under the lip, which means he might or might not have a full beard.

HUBBARD (voice-over): It shows an individual wearing gloves, a ski mask and a backpack. The person appears to be armed, which law enforcement experts say may reveal important information about the perpetrator.

STEVE MOORE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRIBUTOR: He's obviously not familiar with guns or the use of guns or the deployment of guns.

HUBBARD (voice-over): The FBI has released a new missing person poster for Nancy Guthrie that includes the surveillance images just hours after the FBI released them. A law enforcement source familiar with the investigation says authorities have brought someone in for questioning.

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: If they have somebody detained and they're questioning them, where is the victim?

HUBABRD: I'm Sherrell Hubbard reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: All right, let's now bring into the conversation Sunny Slaughter. She's a law enforcement and litigation expert and joins us this morning from Washington. Sunny, good to see you again.

Look, in the last few hours, you've gotten a flat of new information. As we said, the person who was detained for questioning has now been released. That's according to that local reporter there. Our understanding that person has not been charged. Sunny, what's your read on all of this new information?

SUNNY SLAUGHTER, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND LITIGATION EXPERT: Good morning, Rahel. Thank you for having me. It's all a part of the process. You know, law enforcement obtained some information. They were able to obtain a search warrant, execute the search warrant, detain the individual and question them. Unfortunately, that questioning and that individual did not lead to any leads or lead, more importantly, to Nancy Guthrie. And they have to keep going. They cannot stop what they are doing right now. They cannot focus on

where they were. They have to keep focusing on where they're going. And they need to continue to receive tips. And this is great coverage from CNN, 24 hours, providing the number and ensuring that the public has access and information and that they continue to need these calls. So they have not stopped what they have what they are currently doing.

They are moving forward and keeping going because they have to locate Nancy one way or another. This video really sparked the last 24 hours of information, operational integrity and execution. And they are still moving forward, and that's what we need them to do.

[04:05:00]

SOLOMON: And let's talk about what's most important here. Obviously, Nancy, who they still don't know where she is. I mean, what clues at this point do you think they need? I mean, the person who was questioned has now been released. I mean, what needs to happen now in order to understand where she is?

SLAUGHTER: They need to find out who the individual is that tampered with the camera, the person in the video. We need to get a bead on exactly. And I say bead a lens questions who that person is. Someone recognizes this person by the way that they walk, by their body movements, their shape, even their clothing. We need someone to call in, identify this particular person or even someone close to this person so they can find out where she is.

This individual is the closest lead that they have to someone that has been involved in this kidnapping. And you know, the ransom note, all of that stuff is not credible. It is not valid right now. This information with the video is the best possible lead that they need to find out who has Nancy, where she is, why she was taken, and how to get her back home safely.

SOLOMON: Yes, and when you look at the video, I mean, I've heard differing sort of analysis. I mean, some say, you know, there's enough there for someone who knows this person to be able to identify. I think that's my neighbor or I think that's my coworker or, you know, fill in the blank. And others have said, look, there's not a ton of information there. What do you see when you see that video?

SLAUGHTER: I see the walk, the person, body shape. Somebody's probably talking about the fact that they've been there. I look at, for all of the covering of the face, I still think people can see eyebrows, eyelashes, you know, eyebrows, eye color potentially. And the clothing is really key. Has someone seen that someone recently with that jacket, with that backpack, with those shoes on?

I see things that, you know, if you know somebody, if you've been around them, then I think you can pick up some clues. I don't think this is somebody that is not familiar with the community. And that may also be hampering the efforts because people are not paying attention. We don't walk around every single day looking for clues around an individual, we see people as we're passing them by. But this has to be somebody that's close to this individual, that has

had a conversation with them, that knows something about the way that they move, not just somebody on the edges that may have seen them passing by once or twice.

SOLOMON: Yes, I mean, to that point, Sunny. I mean, I thought something was really interesting. So the person who was detained, both he and apparently his mother-in-law, said at the scene that they didn't even really know who Nancy Guthrie was, which as someone who works in news, I found that really hard to believe. But look, people are busy. They're living busy lives.

But what did you make of that? That someone, two people who lived 60 miles away from where Nancy Guthrie lived said, you know, they hadn't heard of the story. They didn't really know much about Nancy Guthrie.

SLAUGHTER: You know, I thought the same thing. I've actually been contacted by someone that lives in the area. Right? And one of the things that she told me online was they're not getting this type of coverage that you're doing right now. She said they hadn't heard about this as much. She was getting information from someone in New York initially about this case.

So while we think everyone is watching the news, while they're tuned in and know everything that's going on, people are not. They are living their everyday lives. They are doing things. Which is why there needs to be more information flooded in that community 60 miles, 100 miles out, because that's -- everybody's not paying attention. People have their own things going on in life. So I said before, when we start searches, do the five.

You do five hours back from when the person known to went missing. Five hours, I mean, five mile radius. And keep going out with information around businesses and gas stations, restaurants. We need to flood the community with this information because I don't think everyone is paying attention.

SOLOMON: Yes. Certainly another reason why her daughter, Savannah Guthrie, has been doing the social media posts that she's been doing because she's sort of reaching that digital audience who may be more following on their phone. Sunny Slaughter, we appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.

SLAUGHTER: Thank you, Rahel, have a good one.

SOLOMON: You too. Well, in the past 11 days, we have seen many news reports about the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, but her life is obviously about more than just the headlines. Here's Tom Foreman with a profile.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to tell you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you kidding?

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): To fans of the Today Show, Nancy Guthrie is more than just Savannah's mom. She is a mahjong player, an avid reader, an octogenarian with character to spare.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, TODAY SHOW HOST: So this won't be one of those easy at home recipes. OK, tell me about what we have.

NANCY GUTHRIE, SAVANNAH GUTHRIE'S MOTHER: Not very healthy either.

FOREMAN (voice-over): While closer to her home, some know Nancy primarily as a pleasant neighbor.

JEFF LAMIE, NANCY GUTHRIE'S NEIGHBOR: We were not aware that Savannah Guthrie was her daughter. I mean, just a very normal person in a community.

FOREMAN (voice-over): On a winter day in 1942, with the Second World War raging just south of Cincinnati, Nancy Ellen Long was born in Fort Wright Kentucky. That's her in this old family photo on Instagram where other pictures show how she grew up, went to college, married an engineer, Charles Guthrie, and they started a family while chasing his career around the globe. When they settled in Arizona, life remained busy but good.

GUTHRIE: On Christmas Eve, my father would always gather us around and we would read the Christmas story in the Bible. And we always really loved that because I think it connected us to the holiday.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Then Charles died from a heart attack, leaving Nancy just in her mid-40s to take care of the kids on her own. Savannah, the youngest, was 16 at the time.

GUTHRIE: She has met unthinkable challenges in her life with grit, without self-pity, with determination, and always with unshakable faith.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Nancy eventually went to work in administration for the University of Arizona, excelling professionally and personally.

N. GUTHRIE: My kids are absolutely amazing.

FOREMAN (voice-over): As the proud mother of a pilot, a poet, and a journalist.

S. GUTHRIE: My mom, she's a truth teller.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

S. GUTHRIE: So she doesn't BS If I guess I can say that. Sorry, Mom. And she -- when I was in my 30s and wasn't sure I would ever have kids, she said, of course you will, honey. You will have your family.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow.

FOREMAN: Through it all, and despite declining health, her faith has deepened to hear the family pastor tell it.

REV. MICHAEL RUDZENA, G OOD SHEPHERD NEW YORK: Over the years, we've gotten to know what makes her tick in some ways from a faith perspective. The songs that mean something to her, the scriptures that are meaningful for her.

FOREMAN (voice-over): And yet, for all everyone knows about this outgoing, optimistic, accomplished woman, it's the unanswered questions that trouble. Now, where is she? How is she? And when will she be back home?

GUTHRIE: We love you, mom. Thank you, Mom.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We love you, Mom. Stay strong.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Tom Foreman, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: We're also following some major breaking news out of Canada, where authorities say at least nine people are dead after a shooting at a high school and a remote area of British Columbia. We recently obtained footage of roads blocked off outside the school. Dozens of people there were hurt and the suspect, who may be female, is dead.

Canada's prime minister wrote that he is devastated by the horrific shootings and that he joins Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly. British Columbia's premier also weighed in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID EBY, PREMIER OF BRITISH COLUMBIA: The devastation these families face. You know, it's just impossible to understand what they're going through without going through it yourself. But I can say for myself and I'm sure for many British Columbians, many Canadians, it makes us think about our kids' safety when they're going to school. We take it for granted. You go to school, you come home safe. And events like this give us pause.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Still ahead for us, authorities released new video on the apparent kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie. How investigators were able to recover the footage and the latest on the investigation coming up next.

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[04:18:19]

SOLOMON: Back now to our top story. Authorities have cleared the scene after searching a home in Southern Arizona as part of the investigation into the apparent kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie. The home is located in Rio Rico, not far from the Mexican border and about 60 miles south of Tucson where Guthrie was last seen. A person was detained during a traffic stop in Rio Rico and was questioned by law enforcement, that's according to a source, but that person has now been released, according to CNN affiliate KNXV.

Now, despite the developments, authorities say they still have not been able to locate Guthrie. These developments coming after the FBI released new video and images on Tuesday captured by Nancy Guthrie's Nest doorbell camera. They show a masked armed individual attempting to block the camera in the early morning hours of February 1st.

Hours later, Nancy Guthrie was reported missing by her family and authorities maintain their belief that she was abducted. They still have not publicly identified any suspect, but FBI Director Kash Patel says that the agency is looking at potential persons of interest.

And authorities continue to ask anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department at the number on your screen that is 520-351-4900 or contact the FBI.

In other news this morning, U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with Israel's Prime Minister in the Oval Office this morning. Sources tell CNN that Benjamin Netanyahu plans to discuss possible military options against Iran should U.S.-Iran talks collapse. This comes as Iran says that last week's talks with the U.S. were meant to gauge Washington's seriousness about negotiations.

[04:20:00]

President Trump told Axios on Tuesday that he is anticipating a second round of talks with Iran next week.

CNN's Oren Liebermann, who joins us live this morning from Jerusalem. Oren, beyond what we just laid out there, what more can we expect from this meeting between Netanyahu and President Trump?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, according to two Israeli sources, what we've learned about this meeting is one of the other elements that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to present to Donald Trump Israeli intelligence on Iran's latest military capabilities, and that includes Iran's intentions with its ballistic missile program.

Israel has tried to push the U.S. so that any deal that it's looking for includes a number of different topics, not only, of course, ending Iran's nuclear file that includes both any pursuit of nuclear weapons and nuclear enrichment, but also ending Iran's ballistic missile program that we saw on full display during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran last June, as well as ending Iran's support for its regional proxies.

Iran has made clear it's only willing to discuss the nuclear file right now and has signaled that perhaps if that goes well and that has enough of its own challenges, then perhaps it's willing to discuss some of the other topics here or move on to other issues.

We don't have a date yet for the next negotiations, but Trump told said in an interview that it would be sometime next week here. Part of the confusion here is that Trump has sent very different messages about what he wants out of this deal on Air Force One.

Just a few days ago, he said he'd be happy with a deal that only covers nuclear weapons, indicating that maybe Iran could have nuclear enrichment and there might be no issues with ballistic missile programs or its support for proxies.

Then in a separate interview, he said that he wants much more than that. He wants it to cover a number of different issues, including enrichment, ballistic missiles and much, much more.

Meanwhile, he also told Barack Ravid that he might send another aircraft carrier to the region. As we have seen, a massive buildup of U.S. military forces in the Middle East intended both to pressure Iran into making concessions and ahead of the possibility of a U.S. strike on Iran.

So there's a lot of different issues at play and what the U.S. is looking for out of these negotiations remains unclear, as is its day after plan if it does decide to carry out a military strike. All of these are crucial decisions here and perhaps Netanyahu himself is looking to get a window into Trump's thinking as coming up on this crucial meeting here in just a few hours. Rahel.

SOLOMON: OK. The day after plan. Always a crucial detail, Oren, as you point out. Oren Lieberman in Jerusalem. Thank you. Still ahead for us, more on a mass shooting in Canada. We'll have the latest on the investigation into the country's deadliest school shooting in decades. We'll be right back.

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[04:27:29]

SOLOMON: I want to get to some more breaking news this hour. The Federal Aviation Administration is temporarily closing the airspace around El Paso, Texas for the next 10 days because of what the agency calls special security reasons.

The restrictions will also apply to part of southern New Mexico around the community of Santa Teresa. The El Paso International Airport says that all commercial, cargo and general aviation flights will be grounded until February 20th. CNN has reached out to the FAA in the airport for comment.

It's now day 11 in the search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie. Late Tuesday, the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department had detained a person of -- detained a person for questioning in this investigation. But our affiliate KNXV now reports that individual has been released.

They were picked up during a traffic stop in Rio Rico, which is about 60 miles south of Tucson near the Mexican border. Authorities had also searched a home in Rio Rico after that person was detained, but we are told that scene is now cleared.

A law enforcement source tells CNN that authorities this morning still don't know where Nancy Guthrie might be. CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller explains what may have prompted police to pull over the individual during a traffic stop.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MILLER: When they did that car stop, it is likely that they were already in the process of trying to obtain a search warrant residence and when you consider this town and its proximity to the Mexican border, which is literally, it's nearly right on the border, the risk of looking for that suspect in a vehicle on the idea that if he was onto the idea that they were onto him, he could have easily crossed that border, probably made that a very high priority to find that vehicle, stop that vehicle, get this individual into custody and a place where we can talk to him at the same time let's hit that house.

That's going to be exigent circumstances with or without a search warrant as my colleagues pointed out, that's highly likely to be a Pima County or FBI or combination of SWAT elements that are going to take that door, do a rapid search looking for a victim and then slow that down and then execute a court order search warrant once that's greenlighted to look for evidence.

And that's things that we believe have already happened now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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