Nancy Guthrie Abduction: Potential Subject Pic to Be Released by Law Enforcement

Law enforcement officials will soon release a photo of a "potential subject in the investigation" in Nancy Guthrie's abduction ... this according to a new NBC News report.

The news outlet -- citing senior law enforcement officials -- says the surveillance photo could be released as soon as this afternoon.

This new photo is a major development in the case, which authorities have been working since Guthrie's family reported her missing on Sunday, February 1.

We obtained a possible ransom note just days after Nancy went missing ... which we passed on to law enforcement. The ransom note came with two deadlines -- both of which have now passed.

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings asked the alleged abductors for proof of life after reading the ransom note ... and, while they have yet to reveal whether they received it, they did share another video over the weekend indicating they would pay a ransom.

Law enforcement announced over the weekend they still had no suspects of person of interest in Nancy's disappearance ... though that's seemingly changed with the new photo they've unearthed.