Nancy Guthrie Case: Why An Ex-FBI Agent Says The Man On Camera is an 'Experienced' Shooter

In the search for missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie in Tucson, Arizona, a veteran homicide detective working with former FBI agents has pointed to a man seen on surveillance footage near her home, saying the individual appears to be an 'experienced' shooter who carries a holstered firearm.

Ex-Detective's Take On The Nancy Guthrie Case Footage

The latest focus in the Nancy Guthrie case comes from retired homicide detective Dale Lundberg, who is collaborating with other investigators, including former FBI personnel, to scrutinise surveillance material and follow emerging leads.

Speaking on the podcast Break the Case with Jen Coffindaffer, Lundberg described one man seen on camera as someone who appears comfortable and practised around firearms.

'I would not say that it's necessarily military or police, but somebody who is experienced enough with firearms where he's more comfortable carrying it in a holster than just shoving it into his waistband, like most thugs,' Lundberg said.

He went further, arguing that in his decades on the job, the use of a holster has been a telling detail rather than a trivial one. 'I have arrested and participated or assisted in the arresting of literally thousands of people in all kinds of circumstances, and it's maybe only in one or two circumstances that I've ever come across somebody who actually had a holster for their pistol, because usually it's just tucked into their pants,' he said.

The detective added that, in his experience, 'officers and civilians who shoot a lot are really the only people who use holsters regularly'.

Evidence, Dead Ends And A Case That Will Not Let Go

The investigation around the Nancy Guthrie case has already produced several strands of inquiry that have either narrowed the field or led to frustrating dead ends.

Detectives are examining damage to a utility box near Guthrie's home, looking at whether it could be connected to an internet outage reported around the time she disappeared. Some officials initially appeared to play down the significance of that detail, but it remains under active review.

DNA on a pair of black gloves found about two miles from Guthrie's house briefly raised hopes of a breakthrough. That line of inquiry cooled sharply when the DNA was traced to a local restaurant worker who, according to the information released so far, is not believed to be connected to the case.

In a separate development, a body discovered in a Phoenix canal prompted speculation that the search might have ended in the worst possible way. Authorities later confirmed that the remains were not Guthrie's, and identified the deceased as another woman.

Nothing in the publicly available evidence so far confirms who took Guthrie from her home, whether she is still alive or where she might be. Officials have repeatedly stressed that this is an open, fluid investigation, and that some working theories may ultimately be ruled out.

Savannah Guthrie's Public Plea And A Growing Reward

Savannah returned to the Today show studio on 5 March, her first time back on air since her mother disappeared, posting a hopeful message on Instagram.

'We also know that she may be lost, she may already be gone. She may have already gone home to the Lord that she loves and is dancing in heaven with her mom and her dad, and with her beloved brother Pierce, and with our daddy. And if this is what is to be, then we will accept it. But we need to know where she is, we need her to come home,' she said.

Timothy Courchaine, the U.S. attorney for the District of Arizona, has been equally unequivocal in public. 'The United States Attorney's Office, together with the FBI and every other law enforcement agency involved in finding Nancy, will go anywhere, do anything, and persevere always to find her,' he said in a statement.​

The Guthrie family has posted a $1 million (£745,600) cash reward for information leading to Nancy's safe return. The FBI has added a further $100,000 (£74,560).

Authorities have not publicly named any suspects in the Nancy Guthrie case and have not confirmed whether the person Lundberg discussed is being treated as a suspect.