TUCSON, Ariz. — A self-described online investigator has raised unverified claims casting doubt on FBI-released photos of the masked man widely referred to online as "porch guy," the closest figure to a named suspect in the ongoing search for missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, more than seven months after her disappearance.

Authorities believe Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her home in Tucson's Catalina Foothills neighborhood the night before or in the early morning hours of February 1. Doorbell camera footage from her home showed a masked man wearing gloves and carrying a backpack, an image that has since become the primary visual lead the public has in the case. The FBI has described the individual as male, standing approximately 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, with an average build, and wearing a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack in the footage.

More than seven months into the investigation, some online observers have questioned why the photos of the masked man have not been more widely distributed, including on billboards, reasoning that broader visibility could increase the chances of someone recognizing him and generating a break in the case.

Against that........

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