Ozark Trail backpack searches spike in US after FBI releases suspect description in Nancy Guthrie case

Online searches for the Ozark Trail Hiker backpack have surged after US investigators confirmed that the suspect in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie was carrying the widely sold bag—turning an everyday retail item into a potential breakthrough clue.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said footage shows the suspect with a 25-litre Ozark Trail Hiker Pack, a model sold by Walmart. The confirmation has driven heightened public interest in the product, as people scan images online and compare them with what they may have seen locally.

With the search entering its 12th day, the FBI also increased the reward for credible information on Guthrie’s whereabouts to $100,000, up from $55,000. Investigators described the suspect as “a male, approximately 5’9”–5’10” tall, with an average build.”

“We hope this updated description will help concentrate the public tips we are receiving,” the FBI said, noting that more than 13,000 tips have been received since 1 February 2026. The agency released additional images of the backpack to aid identification.

Earlier, TMZ had reported—citing law enforcement sources—that the backpack appeared to be Walmart’s Ozark Trail Hiker Pack, a detail now officially confirmed by the FBI. Authorities have not identified a suspect so far.

The renewed focus on the backpack coincides with a wider push for community assistance. The Pima County Sheriff's Department has asked residents near Guthrie’s home to share doorbell and CCTV footage from the night of 31 January, when she was abducted. Alerts were sent via the Neighbors App to users within a two-mile radius of her residence.

Meanwhile, Fox News Digital reported that investigators are examining footage of a man with a black backpack spotted a few miles from Guthrie’s home that night. The clip, believed to be from a neighbour’s door camera, is among the materials under review.

In January, online interest in Nike Tech Fleece jumped after images of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro circulated widely on social media. The now-viral post, shared by US President Donald Trump on Truth Social, showed a purportedly “captured” Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima en route to New York City, drawing unexpected attention to the outfit he was seen wearing.