The search for Nancy Guthrie, mother of “TODAY” co-host Savannah Guthrie, has taken a crucial turn with a potential lead hidden in plain sight: a distinctive holster visible in recovered surveillance footage.
Investigators are focusing on the unusual holster worn by the masked suspect captured on Guthrie’s Nest doorbell camera. Experts believe its specific design and limited availability could be key to identifying the person responsible for the 84-year-old’s abduction from her Tucson home on February 1st.
The FBI, in a remarkable feat of digital recovery, managed to retrieve the video despite the lack of cloud storage or a subscription service. The footage revealed a figure completely covered, wearing a backpack and, critically, an awkwardly positioned holster.
An active-duty police officer, analyzing the infrared recording, noted the holster’s seemingly light color is deceptive. He identified it as a Strategy brand hip holster, sold at select Walmart stores for approximately $10.
As of Saturday, five Walmart locations in the Tucson area reportedly had the holster in stock. The product is designed for a revolver with a 4 to 6.5-inch barrel and is specifically for right-handed users.
Interestingly, the gun glimpsed in the video appears to be a Walther semiautomatic, an uncommon pairing with this particular holster. This detail, along with the holster’s unique shape and retention band, suggests a limited number of potential purchasers.
Adding another layer to the investigation, the suspect also carried an Ozark Trail backpack, also sold exclusively at Walmart. While the backpack is widely available, the holster’s limited stock makes it a more promising investigative avenue.
Retired police sergeant and trainer Betsy Brantner Smith believes the suspect wasn’t a professional. “I think it is more indicative of someone who was grabbing his stuff and improvising,” she stated, adding that the suspect’s demeanor suggests involvement in a planned home invasion or kidnapping.
Law enforcement hopes to cross-reference purchases of both the holster and backpack to narrow the search and identify potential suspects. The relative scarcity of the holster compared to the backpack could prove invaluable.
Nancy Guthrie was forcibly taken from her home in northern Tucson in the early morning hours. A $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to her safe return and the apprehension of those responsible. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
