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Nancy Guthrie case: Investigator says Ozark Trail Hiker backpacks 'locked behind glass' at Walmart near her home

An investigative journalist suggests Nancy Guthrie case suspect's backpack, an Ozark Trail Hiker, is locked up behind glass at Walmart. 

Published on: Feb 15, 2026 8:11 AM IST
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On the 13th day of the investigation, Nancy Guthrie's disappearance has taken several different twists, with new leads, evidence, and information.

An investigative journalist suggests Nancy Guthrie case suspect's backpack, an Ozark Trail Hiker, is locked up behind glass at Walmart.  (AP Photo/Ty ONeil) (AP)
An investigative journalist suggests Nancy Guthrie case suspect's backpack, an Ozark Trail Hiker, is locked up behind glass at Walmart. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil) (AP)

In a recent development in the Nancy Guthrie case, a social media post claimed that the type of backpack allegedly used by the suspect is a commodity that is “locked behind glass” at a local Walmart store.

Read more: Day 14 in search for Nancy Guthrie: 4 major developments

“[Ozark Trail Hiker] Backpacks locked behind glass”

A self-proclaimed investigative journalist, Jonathan Lee Riches, JLR Investigates on X, posted that he had purchased an Ozark Trail Hiker Backpack at a Walmart located a few miles from where Guthrie lives.

He wrote, “I just bought an Ozark Trail Hiker Backpack at Walmart a few miles away from where Nancy Guthrie lives. Backpacks are locked behind glass.”

JLR Investigates alleged that the backpacks were secured behind glass and required an employee to unlock the case using a scanner. He suggested that the bag matched the type reportedly seen on the suspect in surveillance footage.

The Ozark Trail brand is sold exclusively at Walmart.

Read more: Nancy Guthrie: FBI reveals details of suspect's ‘Ozark Trail Hiker’ backpack

Backpack detail emerged from doorbell camera footage

According to the earlier update from the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Office (PMCO), doorbell camera footage captured at Nancy's home showed a masked man wearing gloves and carrying what investigators described as a dark-colored Ozark Trail backpack.

The FBI released images and video of the suspect and specifically mentioned the backpack as a key identifying feature. Law enforcement had urged residents of the area to share surveillance footage from the surrounding area between late January and early February.

The height and the backpack are very good clues, according to former FBI executive assistant director for intelligence Joshua Skule.

Skule told CNN that investigators will now "look at that volume and they’ll start to work backwards and narrowing it down to include the sales in the immediate area of Tucson and then broadening it"

  • Shirin Gupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shirin Gupta

    Shirin Gupta is a content producer with the Hindustan Times. She covers everything between politics, entertainment and sports at the US desk. Shirin got interested in political journalism during her time as a web editor at her college newspaper NCC News in Syracuse when she first started seeing the effects of national politics in life of her fellow colleagues. Shirin has worked on a wide range of fast-moving and developing stories locally when she was at NCC editing accessible reports for the audience. Her current role requires her to track real-time updates, verify information and present balanced coverage across diverse beats. Covering US politics from an international newsroom perspective has further deepened her understanding of how domestic decisions can have far-reaching global consequences. With a keen interest in international affairs, Shirin continues to build her expertise in geopolitics, policy shifts, and cross-border developments. She aims to learn and evolve her reporting in matters of geopolitics and international issues. Outside the newsroom Shirin writes about books and music for her personal blog. She is an avid consumer of pop culture and reveres literature.Read More

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