TUCSON, Ariz. — A group of determined volunteers has taken the initiative to search for Nancy Guthrie, actively scouring trash-laden desert ditches and a nearby homeless camp for any leads.
On Sunday, they uncovered a possible clue—a black backpack discovered just two miles from her residence.
The Post reported from the site where a Swiss Gear-branded backpack was found torn in a storm drain that also serves as a homeless encampment.
This location is a short drive from the home of 84-year-old Nancy, situated in the Catalina Foothills of northern Tucson.
Katherine Lopez, a volunteer, located the backpack around 11 a.m. in a tunnel off West Orange Grove Road, close to State Route 77.
She promptly alerted the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, and a deputy arrived roughly 15 minutes later.
Images from the scene depict Lopez holding the backpack up on a large pole while speaking with the sheriff’s office.
Another photo shows a police officer in gloves carefully retrieving the closed backpack.
Two individuals experiencing homelessness were present in the storm drain when the bag was found, but they reportedly hurried away upon seeing authorities, which startled them.
It doesn’t seem to be the same backpack used by the masked individual seen in surveillance footage from Nancy’s Nest earlier this month.
This week, investigators classified the backpack as a black Ozark Trail Hiker, which is available exclusively at Walmart.
Additionally, another pair of gloves was discovered just off North First Avenue on the same day.
Nancy, the mother of Today host Savannah Guthrie, last had contact with her family on January 31st.
This situation unfolds as Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos faces criticism that his pride is hampering the search efforts for Nancy, whose daughter traveled to Arizona earlier this month to assist in the search.
As it stands, after more than three weeks since Nancy was reported missing on February 1, authorities are preparing to reduce their search efforts in the coming days, since no suspects or points of interest have been established.
