As Nancy Guthrie’s case reaches its tenth day, a key detail from her home surveillance footage may help identify a suspect.
Tracy Walder, a former CIA officer and FBI special agent, shared insights on the suspect’s distinctive walking style after authorities released photos and videos. “I think [the suspect’s] gait is particularly interesting,” she mentioned to Page Six. “It’s not very unique, but still, something for the FBI to investigate.”
Walder went on to note that the suspect’s eyes remained visible under the mask, adding, “[they] didn’t have night vision goggles or anything to cover [their] face.”
Now that images of the suspect are available, Walder emphasized that the FBI can “construct a physical profile” based on details like shoe labels and sizes, as well as height and weight.
She pointed out that the video confirmed the kidnapping was “highly orchestrated,” explaining, “This person arrived with a backpack and a weapon—not for theft, but to target Nancy. This is really evident from the footage.”
While she recognizes the planning involved, Walder expressed uncertainty about the suspect’s experience, noting, “It’s hard to say if this is someone seasoned in such activities. I don’t think this is a professional kidnapping ring. This individual clearly had a target and took careful steps.”
Additionally, another expert highlighted critical mistakes made by the suspect. Andy Kay, a private investigator, observed that the attempted theft of the Nest doorbell footage, ironically, aided law enforcement in retrieving it. “As long as there’s internet, the camera stores the footage on the server,” he explained. “If disconnected, there’s simply nothing to overwrite.”
Kay referred to the suspect as a “rookie.”
On Tuesday, authorities released images and video of a masked individual, showing them adjusting the doorbell camera before ultimately taking it. The footage showed the suspect wearing gloves and a backpack, as they appeared to adjust the camera and picked up a leaf from the ground.
A spokesperson for law enforcement mentioned that they have been collaborating closely with private sector partners to recover any potentially lost footage, stating, “We’ve discovered new images showing an armed person tampering with Nancy’s front door camera on the morning she was reported missing.”
Nancy was last seen on February 1, after she missed a church service. Her daughter, Savannah, circulated photos and videos on social media, urging anyone who recognizes the suspect to come forward, emphasizing that they believe her mother is still alive.
Investigators suspect she was abducted and possibly hurt in her sleep, after bloodstains identified as hers were discovered outside her front door.
Following a ransom demand of $6 million in Bitcoin, the family reportedly paid by the February 9 deadline. However, an FBI representative later disclosed that the family had not maintained “ongoing communication” with their kidnappers.
Currently, authorities are working on collecting DNA samples from workers in the area.
