The clothing and face mask worn by the suspect in the doorbell video at Nancy Guthrie's home were purchased at Walmart, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told CBS News.
Investigators are now working to identify the specific brands and determine whether the items were bought online or at a brick-and-mortar store in Arizona or elsewhere.
CBS News first reported that the suspect's backpack — identified as a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack — is sold exclusively at Walmart, making it one of the most significant leads in the case.
"It's one of the most promising leads we have," Nanos told CBS News, noting that Walmart provided records of all Ozark Trail Hiker backpack purchases over the past several months, both online and in stores, including sales outside the Tucson area.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, the 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, and the case, now entering its third week, is being treated as a potential kidnapping.
According to CBS News, investigators have spent several days reviewing surveillance video at local Walmart stores in an effort to identify the buyer of the backpack, mask, and clothing seen in the Nest doorbell footage.
The sheriff's office confirmed that the suspect's face mask is black, though it appears lighter in the infrared doorbell video.
Walmart has not publicly commented. CBS News reported that the retailer declined to respond to inquiries about the backpack, mask, and clothing.
The FBI has also revealed new forensic developments.
A black glove found near Nancy Guthrie's home "appears to match the gloves of the subject in the surveillance video," the bureau said in a statement.
Preliminary DNA testing identified what the FBI described as an "unknown male profile," which will be entered into the national Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, database once confirmed.
Federal authorities have described the suspect as a man of average build, approximately 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10.
The investigation intensified Friday when multiple law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at a residence less than two miles from Nancy Guthrie's home.
Nanos told CBS affiliate KOLD the search was based on "a lead that led to a search warrant and no arrest." Officials have not disclosed what, if anything, was recovered.
WION noted that investigators also identified a holster, reportedly retailing for about $10 at Walmart, visible in the footage.
Independent observers have pointed out that certain Ozark Trail backpack models are stocked at select locations, including stores near Nancy Guthrie's home — details authorities hope could narrow the suspect pool.
The FBI has increased the reward to $100,000 for credible information leading to Nancy Guthrie's whereabouts or the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
As law enforcement follows the retail paper trail and DNA evidence, Savannah Guthrie issued another emotional plea Sunday, urging anyone involved to "do the right thing."
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.