NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Episode Date: February 12, 2026

Man detained in Nancy Guthrie investigation released; Analyzing images of armed man on Nancy Guthrie’s porch; FAA temporarily shuts down El Paso airspace; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight we are live from Milan as Team USA climbs the metal count and sets a new world record. But we start with that breaking news in the Nancy Guthrie case. In the hours after those horrifying videos were released, law enforcement detaining, but then releasing this man. He's now speaking out why he says he believes he was targeted. And the new area law enforcement is searching right now. Plus the online sleuths analyzing every frame of the video, some believe this is a tattoo on the person's wrist, what forensics experts say it could be. Mysterious airspace shut down, the FAA ordering a flight ban at El Paso Airport, then lifting it. Is military laser testing to blame or drug cartel drones are new reporting?

Explosive hearings on Capitol Hill, Attorney General Pam Bondi clashing with lawmakers over, her handling of the Epstein files. The deadly crash of bus carrying a college baseball team overturning in Iowa. And here in Milan, Team USA, raking in the medals, the American power couple scoring silver on the ice. Speed skater Jordan Stolls shattering an Olympic record and the new images of skier Lindsey Vaughn from her hospital bed. Plus, it was the confession heard around the world, the Olympian admitting on live TV that he cheated on his his girlfriend. Now, she's responding. And the secrets Da Vinci left behind are up-close look at the Last Supper, and we'll take you to the painting hidden inside Milan's castle rarely seen by the public.

Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News, live from the Winter Olympics in Italy. Reporting tonight from Milan, here's Tom Yamas. And good evening from where Team USA has climbed the medal count. Now third overall, it was a thrilling day on the ice with American Jordan Stoles doing what has never been done before, smashing an Olympic record. And Team USA's Chloe Kim, fresh off a shoulder dislocation, soaring over the competition. We'll get to all of that in a moment, but we want to begin tonight with the search for Nancy Guthrie and the painful whiplash of the last 24 hours after these terrifying images. of an armed man at Nancy's door were released.

Law enforcement closed in on this man. They detained him, they questioned him, but then they released him, all in a matter of hours. You're going to hear from him tonight, and you'll hear from forensic experts who are combing through these images, looking for any types of clues, all of it, as the Guthrie family

and everyone here at NBC News hopes for some type of break in this case. Let's get right to Liz Kreutz, once again, on the ground in Tucson. Tonight, more than 24 hours after those terrifying surveillance images were released, authorities still on the hunt for whoever is responsible for abducting Nancy Guthrie. Late yesterday, investigators detained but then released a man in connection to the case and conducted a court-authorized search of a property south of Tucson in Rio Rico near the U.S. Mexico border. Authorities have not identified that man or said why he piqued their interests. But Carlos Palisuelos, a delivery driver, says he was the person they detained. What the fuck I'm doing here? I didn't do anything. To be honest, like, I'm innocent.

And you don't even know who the lady is? Do you know who Savannah Gunther is? No. I don't follow the news. Palisuelos spoke with reporters outside his home after he says he was released, saying he was driving for DoorDash when investigators surrounded him during a traffic stop. They only asked me for my first name, my last name, my date of birth, and my social. Okay. What were they asking you about? Like, where about? Where at our work? Where do I work? Where do. was I and all that. He says he delivers in the Tucson area, but does not know if he ever dropped off a package at Nancy Guthrie's home. They show my in-law a picture of somebody wearing a mask or something,

and they supposedly look like my eyes. Right. Okay. That's it. That's all I know. All I can say is they took my phone. The Pima County Sheriff's Department says the detention was part of a follow-up on incoming leads now flooding in. 18,000 calls since February 1st when Nancy went missing. 4,000 in just the last 24 hours since those chilling images were released. But with nobody in custody after 11 days, the community here on edge. My mom lives here in town. She lives alone. Now I'm worried as heck about her. Tonight, the FBI says they are extensively searching the Catalina foothills around Nancy Guthrie's home with several hundred detectives and agents actively working the case. Liz joins us now live and Liz, we know they're getting thousands of tips. We just

saw that in your report, but tomorrow will be one week with no official briefing from police. Yeah, that's right, Tom. We haven't gotten a lot of information over the past several days. We do know they're painstakingly, though, going through those tips. Here in the neighborhood, though, residents are continuing to show their support for the Guthrie family. They're now putting out yellow flowers and ribbons as a sign of hope. Tom. Everyone looking for her. All right, Liz, we thank you for that. Forensics experts in the public have been analyzing every frame of those videos released from Nancy Guthrie's porch camera looking for anything

to help identify who may have taken her. Emily Aketa now with what some may have found. The chilling visuals from the night of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance have been seen and shared by millions across social media. Internet sleuths fixating on this frame of

video questioning if it's a tattoo. But with the dark images, digital forensics expert Adam Scott wants says it could be a watch and cautions against the reliability of of user-generated enhancements. I don't think we have enough from this particular photo to run that through any sort of eye or facial recognition,

but we do have enough once we have a suspect to be able to confirm whether or not it's them from this picture. Want points to important physical characteristics gleaned from the nest camera. Using the rim of the arch, along with the tiles, experts will be able to get his height, weight, and shoe size almost exactly. One of the biggest clues? Most people don't realize that the gate

of an individual is almost as unique as a fingerprint. Investigators hoping these surveillance images are the break in the case so many have been desperately waiting for. And it's happened before. Consider the search for accused killer Luigi Mangione. Well, he hasn't been pulled down. So the only thing you can see is his eyebrows. Police officers were called to this McDonald's one day after releasing these images to the

public. And last summer, the suspected shooter in Charlie Kirk's assassination, turned himself in at the urging of his parents after these surveillance images and video were made public. This helps narrow down an unlimited universe of what could have happened to a sliver of what probably did happen. And Juan believes these images in Tucson are just the beginning. Emily Ikeda, NBC News.

To the mystery now over why the FAA shut down the airspace over El Paso early this morning, only to open it back up again. Our reporting reveals a deep division between the FAA and the Pentagon with widely different explanations for what exactly happened. Here's Tom Costello. The question tonight, did the FAA close El Paso's airspace due to Mexican drug cartel drones, or because the FAA was worried about new anti-dron lasers being tested near the airport? The FAA's notice to airmen or no-tem said El Paso had been designated. designated national defense airspace, and the government may use deadly force against airborne

aircraft that don't adhere to the order. But congressional military and aviation sources say the airspace was closed because of a dispute between the FAA and the military, as the government tests new laser technology to target cartel drones at forkless army base right next to the airport. Medical Evac flights rerouted to New Mexico, airline passengers grounded. Makes you wonder what could be happening. But just a few hours later, the FAA reopened the airspace and administration officials saying Mexican cartel drones breached U.S. airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones.

From DOT's Secretary Duffy, the threat has been neutralized. There is no danger to commercial travel in the region. Sitting on the border, El Paso's airport serves both Texas and New Mexico with 100 flights a day. Decisions made without notice or coordination. puts lives at risk and creates unnecessary danger and confusion. The FAA hasn't moved to close airspace for days on end since 9-11. Government agencies have been warning about drug cartel drones, but this week, the lasers brought down a party balloon rather than a drone. Tom.

All right, Tom Costello for us. Tom, thank you. On Capitol Hill today, it was a fiery hearing. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Democrats clashing over the handling. of the Epstein files, with Bondi revealing the investigation to the Epstein case is not over. Here's Hallie Jackson. A fiery hearing tonight turning combative and contemptuous. Do you want to go there, Attorney General? Attorney General Pam Bondi, sparring with lawmakers over the Jeffrey Epstein files.

And I told you about that, Attorney General, before you started. You don't tell me anything. Yeah, I did tell you because we saw what you did in the Senate. Bondi pressed on whether there could be other prosecutions. We have pending investigations in our office. Potentially a reference to Democrats, the president asked the DOJ to investigate. In contrast to the department's acknowledgement last year, they did not uncover evidence to warrant charging anyone new. Bondi, accusing Democrats of using the Epstein case as a deflection.

The murder rate, as I said, has plummeted to a 125-year low thanks to Donald Trump. That's what we should be focused. on. And in her remarks, adding this to Epstein abuse survivors. I am deeply sorry for what any victim, any victim has been through, especially as a result of that monster. Bondi, acknowledging the files, did not redact private information of some survivors, some sitting right behind her. Raise your hands if you have still not been able to meet with this Department of Justice. Every hand going up. Will you turn to them now? and apologize for what your Department of Justice has put them through.

Why? Didn't she ask Merit Garland this? Not long after the hearing, some survivors joining us. All she had to do was turn around, and she could not even turn around and face us. The president hasn't ruled out a pardon for Gilane Maxwell, but Bondi said today she's hopeful Epstein's convicted co-conspirator will, in her words, die in prison. Tom? Hallie Jackson on that heated hearing tonight. All right, Hallie, thank you. We're going to turn out of the Olympics here in Milan. Team USA keeps adding to its medal count, which has now climbed to 12. Among the headliners today, Ice Dancers Madison Chalk and Evan Bates, who took the ice late tonight.

Tonight, Madison Chalk and Evan Bates poured their hearts out on the ice. 15 years of a partnership on the ice leading up to that moment. The married couple hoped it would be enough for gold, but it was not to be. It went instead to a team from France, with chalk and bates taking silver. We skated great four times on Olympic ice, and we're so proud of that. While today, speed skating superstar Jordan Stolls shattered the Olympic record in his Milan debut. The best speed skater in the world flies to an Olympic race. Record and the lead.

It just takes practice, D. Stoll's first started skating on a frozen pond in his Wisconsin backyard. And this is his elementary school back home celebrating his win. Coming through the time of 25-8-1. Team USA skiers also picked up three medals today, including going one-two in Moguls. And Lindsay Vaughn posting these photos, a massive brace around her leg, saying she's cheering on her teammates from the hospital.

This as Chloe Kim also competes her with a recently dislocated shoulder. But that didn't stop her from dominating during today's qualifying round. That is why she is the reigning princess of halfpipe. Tomorrow, Kim will look to make history with a third consecutive gold. Today I caught up with Sean White, who has three half-pipe golds of his own. Put this in a perspective for our viewers. We're watching one of the grades right now compete. Chloe has been on top of her sport for the longest time, showing up, fighting through injuries.

She's really, obviously, setting the bar pretty high for the generation to follow her. And we're back in 60 seconds, back here in Milan with the most talked about story here. The skier confessing to cheating on his girlfriend. Now we're hearing her side of the story. Back now in Milan with the story, everyone is talking about the Norwegian skier who admitted to cheating on his girlfriend on live TV. tonight our Stephanie Goss has her side of the story. Following his bronze medal finish in biathlon, Sterla Holm-Logrid made a tearful plea for forgiveness on live TV. Six months ago, I met the love of my life, he said, but then admitted that three months into the relationship, he cheated on her.

Tonight, the Norwegian biathlete got a response from his girlfriend. In a statement to a Norwegian paper, she wrote, it's hard to forgive. even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world. Ligert said his girlfriend ended their relationship before the games, but he hoped she would realize how much he loves her. Today, the unnamed woman thrown into an Olympic whirlwind, wrote, I did not choose to be put in this position, and it hurts to have to be caught up in it.

The love life drama has gone viral with mixed reaction. That was our breakfast conversation this morning. I mean, at least he's putting himself out there. I respect it. Some siding with her. I think it wouldn't work for me, but I wish him and her the best. Lagrid was asked if he regretted getting so personal. Maybe there's a chance that she will show, see what she really means to me.

And maybe not. The emotional moment captivated the world. There are some things that even a mea culpa and a bronze medal might not be able to fix. Stephanie Gosk, NBC News, Milan. And if there are any updates, we will bring them to you. When we return in a moment some serious news back at home, the rollover bus crash, injuring dozens from a college baseball team. The new update tonight. Welcome back.

This is just in tonight. We're monitoring a deadly bus crash out of Iowa. This bus flew off the road and overturned in a ditch killing one person. That bus carrying the baseball team from Iowa Lakes Community College. Several more people were hurt and taken to hospitals. some by air ambulance. When we come back from Milan tonight, the secrets Da Vinci left behind. The Last Supper, like you've never seen it before,

and we take you to his painting hidden inside of a castle. That's next. That's the Duomo here in Milan, a massive 600-year-old Gothic cathedral, and one of the most beautiful in Europe. But tonight, we want to end with another masterpiece, the Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, whose art and mystery is now inspiring the Winter Olympics. Every night in Milan, a crowd gathers at the Arco de la Pache

to see a fire in the sky. The Olympic cauldron may be for the 2026 Winter Games, but the inspiration comes straight from the Renaissance and one of its masters, Leonardo da Vinci and his geometric studies. Da Vinci and his art remain an enigma, full of clues to deeper stories. he told through his paintbrush and studied nearly every day

here at the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology. So this monastery is more than 500 years old? Yes. Tonight we were given private access to one of Da Vinci's most famous works, the Last Supper, painted in the late 1400s

on a wall of a monastery. What makes the Last Supper a masterpiece? Yes, many, many things. All the people depicted here are so alive, everyone is expressing something, telling a story, a relationship, and emotion. The painting capturing the moment, Jesus told his 12 apostles, one of them would betray him.

The one who betrays Jesus is Judas Ascariat, and we can see him to Jesus' right. He's holding his right hand to bed with the money, the cost of Christ, and he's going back with his body, while most of the same. others are looking towards Christ. And then there's even a weapon at the table, right? There's a knife. Yes. Yes, there is a knife on the hand of St. Peter.

Our hunt for Da Vinci's secrets also took us inside Milan's famed castle. We got rare access to another Da Vinci work, a long-hidden, unfinished painting, open to the public just during the Olympics while it's being restored. Why do you think all these centuries later we're still trying to figure out, Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo is a key to desire, knowledge, desire of infinity, of something that is beyond the power of man. So that's why he's so fascinating for everyone in the world.

One of the great treasures here in Milan. Primetime coverage kicks off tonight at the Olympics at 8 o'clock on NBC and Peacock. That's nightly news for this Wednesday. I'm Tom Yamas. Thanks so much for watching tonight. And always, we're here for you. Good night.