Investigators Believe Nancy Guthrie’s Abductor Bought Clothes at Walmart
Authorities are focusing on new developments in the search for Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, who has been missing since January 31. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos disclosed on February 16 that items such as clothing and a face mask seen on a person of interest had been purchased at Walmart.
Investigation reports indicate that the exact brand of these items is still under scrutiny. Notably, the backpack featured in the released images is identified as a black Ozark Trail Hiker, which is sold exclusively at Walmart. It remains uncertain whether the items were acquired from a local outlet or through online purchases. Nanos stated that investigators have been meticulously reviewing surveillance footage from local Walmart stores to gather more insights.
Nanos emphasized the potential significance of the backpack, referring to it as a promising lead. Walmart has provided records detailing all purchases of the Ozark Trail Hiker, both online and in-store, over recent months, including transactions outside the Tucson area.
Nancy, 84, was last seen dining with her daughter, Annie Guthrie. Together, they are the daughters of Nancy and the late Charles Guthrie, who passed away in 1988. As the search continues, the FBI has released several black-and-white photographs and video clips featuring a suspect outside of Nancy’s residence. The individual, who appeared to have a firearm at their waist, was seen trying to obscure the home’s security camera.
In a follow-up on February 12, the FBI laid out a physical description of the suspect, proposing that they are likely male, between 5’9’’ and 5’10’’ tall, with an average build. The FBI noted the suspect was also seen carrying a black Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.
Additionally, on February 15, the FBI provided an update regarding gloves discovered near Nancy’s home. According to NewsNation Senior National Correspondent Brian Entin, the gloves were sent for analysis and arrived in Florida for testing. Preliminary results were expected shortly after. The FBI continues to assist local law enforcement and is awaiting quality control confirmation of the results before entering an unknown male profile into CoDIS, the national DNA database.
Entin reported that a total of 16 gloves have been collected from various locations, although most were discarded by searchers during their efforts. However, one glove with a potential DNA connection appears to match those seen in the surveillance video. Entin noted that the FBI’s updates can sometimes be “confusing” as he seeks to clarify the evolving situation.
