A delivery driver detained by law enforcement in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie was released Tuesday night after several hours in custody without charges being filed.
Carlos Palazeulos, 36, spoke to reporters outside his Rio Rico home following his release.
He expressed anger over his treatment during the detention.
The delivery driver said authorities held him without reading his Miranda rights for approximately two hours.
He claimed the handcuffs left his wrists swollen. “What the f*** am I doing here? I didn’t do anything to be honest, I’m innocent,” he said.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, is the mother of NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.
She was reported missing on Feb. 1.
Palazeulos works for GLS, a parcel delivery service, and operates in the Tucson area.
He acknowledged the possibility that he may have delivered a package to Nancy Guthrie’s residence during his normal work duties.
The detention began when Palazeulos and his wife noticed law enforcement vehicles following them. They pulled over and Palazeulos exited the vehicle.
“They held me against my will,” Palazeulos stated.
He told investigators he had never heard of Nancy Guthrie or her daughter because he does not follow news programming.
Palazeulos said he was detained from approximately 4:00 p.m. until his release later that evening.
He maintained his innocence throughout questioning.
No charges were filed against the delivery driver.
Authorities did not provide him with a specific reason for why he became a person of interest in the investigation.
While Palazeulos remained in custody, law enforcement officials executed a search of his home in Rio Rico, located roughly 60 miles south of Tucson near the Mexican border.
He shares the residence with his wife, children, and in-laws.
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Palazeulos alleged that officers broke down both the front door and garage door during the search.
The exact items officials were seeking during the search have not been disclosed.
Family members reported that all cell phones in the household were confiscated.
The vehicle Palazeulos had been riding in was also taken by authorities but was later returned to the residence.
Palazeulos’ mother-in-law spoke to media outlets about the incident.
The New York Post reported that she said investigators showed her video footage to determine if she could identify clothing or items belonging to her son-in-law.
“He doesn’t have any of that. He doesn’t have anything that comes in the video,” the mother-in-law told ABC15.
She described how officers forcibly entered the home and moved her son to the living room during the search.
The mother-in-law stated she was unfamiliar with the details of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
She had only seen limited information about the case on social media platforms.
She told NewsNation that the family has nothing to hide and cooperated fully with investigators.
“I don’t know the lady, I don’t know about the lady,” she said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the FBI released surveillance images showing a masked individual tampering with a doorbell camera at Nancy Guthrie’s residence on the morning she went missing.
The footage shows the suspect wearing sneakers, a fleece jacket, and carrying a backpack.
The individual appeared to have a flashlight in his mouth while moving around the patio area.
The suspect was captured on video placing flowers in front of the camera lens.
A handgun was visible in a holster at the front of the suspect’s pants, according to TMZ.
