Overview
- The reward for information has been raised to $100,000 as the FBI describes the figure in the video as a man about 5'9" to 5'10" with an average build, wearing a black 25‑liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.
- Searches expanded across Tucson’s foothills and nearby roadways, and investigators say several items, including a black glove, have been recovered and sent for DNA testing.
- Authorities report thousands of public tips since the footage was released, with the FBI citing more than 13,000 tips to date and local lines also inundated.
- A man stopped in Rio Rico was questioned and released without charge after a court‑authorized search; no arrests have been made and no verified proof of life has been established.
- Investigators are soliciting home surveillance from Jan. 1–Feb. 2, with emphasis on Jan. 11 late evening and Jan. 31 late night, as multiple Bitcoin ransom messages remain unverified.