Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators believe the clothing and face mask worn by the suspect seen in the now-infamous doorbell footage of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance were purchased at Walmart, marking what authorities describe as one of the most significant leads so far.
Nanos told CBS News that detectives are still working to identify the specific brands tied to the items. The suspect’s backpack, identified as a black Ozark Trail Hiker model, was sold exclusively at Walmart, CBS News first reported.
It remains unclear whether the gear was purchased online or at a brick-and-mortar store in Arizona or elsewhere. Nanos said investigators have spent days combing through surveillance footage at local Walmart locations in an effort to trace the buyer.
The 84-year-old Guthrie, mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, has been missing since Feb. 1. Authorities believe she was abducted from her Tucson home in the middle of the night.
Nanos described the backpack as one of the most promising pieces of evidence in the case. According to CBS News, Walmart has turned over records of Ozark Trail Hiker backpack purchases from recent months, including both online and in-store transactions, not only in Tucson but beyond the immediate area.
A Walmart spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by CBS News.
Federal investigators have also focused on the suspect’s mask, which appears lighter in the footage due to the Nest doorbell camera’s infrared technology. Authorities believe the mask itself is black.
The FBI has released images of the masked individual, describing him as a male with an average build, approximately 5 feet, 9 inches to 5 feet, 10 inches tall.
Meanwhile, forensic work continues behind the scenes. A black glove recovered near Guthrie’s home “appears to match the gloves of the subject in the surveillance video,” the FBI said in a statement on Sunday.
The bureau said it received preliminary DNA results Saturday and, once confirmed, plans to enter what it called “the unknown male profile” into CODIS, the FBI’s national DNA database that contains profiles linked to prior arrests.
Investigators have collected additional DNA evidence from the property, but Sheriff Nanos acknowledged those results have not yet produced a suspect.
RELATED: NEW: Glove Discovered Near Nancy Guthrie’ Home Appears To Match Glove Worn By Suspect
Law enforcement activity intensified late last week when multiple agencies executed a search warrant at a residence less than two miles from Guthrie’s home. The search stretched for hours Friday evening.
RELATED: No Arrests Made After Latest SWAT Raid In Nancy Guthrie Case
Nanos told CBS affiliate KOLD that the operation stemmed from “a lead that led to a search warrant and no arrest.” Authorities have not disclosed what prompted the search or whether any items were seized.
The case has gripped Tucson and drawn national attention as the search enters its third week. Over the weekend, Savannah Guthrie issued another emotional public plea.
BREAKING: Savannah Guthrie releases new video on missing mom: “I wanted to say to whoever has her or knows where she is that it’s never too late, and you are not lost or alone.”
“It is never too late to do the right thing and we are here, and we believe… in the essential… pic.twitter.com/WTxCzfocn7
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 16, 2026
“It’s been two weeks since our mom was taken, and I just wanted to come on and say we still have hope, and we still believe,” she said in a video posted to Instagram. “And I wanted to say to whoever has her, or knows where she is … it is never too late to do the right thing. ”
Investigators continue to urge anyone with information to come forward as they track purchase records, analyze forensic evidence and follow up on tips tied to the chilling footage released by the FBI.
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