Crime
Tara Arnold killed in Bangor private jet crash
The wife of a prominent Texas attorney was among those killed in a private jet crash Sunday evening at Bangor International Airport in Maine, according to officials and family statements.
Tara Arnold, 46, the wife of Houston-based personal injury attorney Kurt Arnold, died when a Bombardier Challenger 650 business jet crashed during takeoff at approximately 7:45 p.m.
The aircraft was departing Bangor after a scheduled stop for refueling and de-icing before a planned transatlantic flight to Paris. Arnold was traveling with several friends on a leisure trip.
Emergency responders arrived to find the aircraft severely damaged and overturned on the runway, with fire and heavy smoke visible at the scene. Video and photographs from the aftermath showed the jet resting upside down as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.
Preliminary flight data reviewed by investigators indicates the aircraft veered to the right during the takeoff roll before losing control.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initially reported that eight people were on board, including crew members; however, officials later acknowledged that early information may have been incomplete.
Authorities have not yet released a final passenger and crew manifest or confirmed casualty figures pending family notifications.
The jet was reportedly registered to Arnold & Itkin LLP, the Houston-based law firm co-founded by Kurt Arnold.
The firm has acknowledged the loss and requested privacy for the families involved. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a joint investigation into the cause of the crash.
Tara Arnold was an accomplished attorney who had worked at Arnold & Itkin since its founding in 2005.
She earned her law degree from Tulane University and graduated magna cum laude. Early in her career, she worked in mergers and acquisitions at a large New York-based law firm before joining her husband’s practice, where she focused on complex litigation, including cases involving offshore and industrial accidents.
In professional biographies, Arnold credited her mother—also an attorney—for inspiring her to pursue a legal career. She frequently spoke about the responsibility attorneys hold in protecting clients’ futures and livelihoods.
Outside of her legal work, Arnold was known for her philanthropy and community involvement.
She and her husband were significant donors to the University of Texas, Kurt Arnold’s alma mater, contributing tens of millions of dollars to university and athletic programs. Friends and colleagues described her as deeply committed to service, family, and mentoring others.
Local officials and friends expressed condolences following news of her death. Harris County Precinct Four Commissioner Lesley Briones, who previously worked with the Arnolds, described her as “a phenomenal person, a bold leader, and someone with a genuine heart for service.”
The crash occurred amid severe winter weather conditions. At the time of the incident, temperatures at Bangor International Airport were near 1 degree Fahrenheit, with six to eight inches of snow on the ground and low visibility reported.
Air traffic control recordings indicate pilots and controllers discussed weather conditions and de-icing procedures shortly before the aircraft was cleared for takeoff. Within minutes, air traffic was halted after controllers reported an aircraft overturned on the runway.
The incident took place during Winter Storm Fern, which caused widespread travel disruptions across the United States, including thousands of canceled flights and declared states of emergency in multiple states.
The FAA and NTSB will continue their investigation, examining weather conditions, aircraft performance, runway conditions, and crew actions. Officials have stated that a full report is expected to take several months.
Crime
Investigators Believe Nancy Guthrie Removed From Her Home and Likely Concealed or Disposed of Within a Two-Hour Drive
TUCSON, Ariz. — As the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie continues, analysis of the known timeline suggests she was most likely removed from her residence between approximately 2:30 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. local Tucson time.
Based on that estimated window, investigators and independent analysts believe that if Guthrie was transported from her home, the suspect would have had sufficient time to conceal her or dispose of her remains within a two-hour driving radius of Tucson before first light.
Twilight on Sunday, February 1, 2026, began at approximately 5:40 a.m., providing a limited but significant period of darkness during which a suspect could have traveled undetected.
This geographic radius would encompass large areas of remote desert terrain, rural roadways, mountainous regions, and sparsely populated land across southern Arizona.
Law enforcement has not publicly confirmed a specific search zone but has emphasized that remote areas remain a focus of investigative efforts.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working jointly on the case.
As previously announced, federal authorities recently released four images recovered from Nancy Guthrie’s home surveillance system, including images depicting a masked individual believed to be connected to the case.
Investigators have stated that over the course of eight days, they worked closely with private-sector technology partners to recover digital evidence that may have been lost, corrupted, or rendered inaccessible. Authorities indicated that certain recording devices may have been removed from the home, complicating early evidence collection efforts.
Officials have not publicly confirmed whether Guthrie is deceased, and the case remains classified as a missing person investigation. However, the working theory that she was forcibly removed from her residence during the early morning hours has guided search efforts.
Investigators have emphasized that locations where a victim may have been concealed or transported could still contain critical forensic evidence. If Nancy Guthrie was taken to a secondary location within the estimated timeframe, it is possible that trace evidence — including DNA belonging to both the victim and the perpetrator — could remain recoverable.
Identifying any site containing a combination of Nancy Guthrie’s DNA and that of a suspect would represent a significant breakthrough in the case and could substantially assist law enforcement in determining what occurred.
Authorities continue to urge anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance to come forward. Even seemingly minor details — including unusual vehicle activity, suspicious behavior, or knowledge of remote locations accessed during the early morning hours of February 1 — could prove vital.
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.