Five critical clues in FBI footage could pinpoint suspect in Nancy Guthrie disappearance: experts
Newly released surveillance footage released by the FBI amid the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie is offering investigators a "treasure trove" of information regarding the potential subject seen approaching the 84-year-old woman’s Arizona home in the moments before she vanished, according to multiple law enforcement experts.
The new images and footage obtained from Nancy Guthrie’s front door camera offer five key points of interest for investigators looking to track down the masked individual who investigators believe may be connected to Guthrie's disappearance.
The distinct ski mask worn by the individual could hold multiple clues surrounding the individual’s identity if law enforcement can identify where and when the item was purchased.
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"They will try to determine who actually produced that mask and where that mask could have been bought," Ted Williams, a criminal and civil trial attorney, told Fox News Digital. "The temperature in Tucson certainly would be something that you would not expect a person to wear that kind of a mask."
Additionally, the individual’s eye-shape and facial structure under the mask may also come into focus for investigators, according to former FBI special agent Nicole Parker.
"You cannot change the shape of somebody's eyes," Parker told Fox News Digital. Obviously the eyebrows and the appearance of the facial hair around the mouth. You can always change someone's eyebrows, you can change facial hair, you can shave, things like that. But there are other factors, like the shape of someone’s mouth."
"Eyes and mouth are very useful in identifying a human being, so they’re going to be going through that."
Williams also pointed to the clothing worn by the individual in the footage, suggesting that both the pants and jacket seen in the video open another window of opportunity for investigators to nail down where the items were purchased.
"When you look at the shirt that he had on and even the pants, they're going to be trying to find out who actually may have sold those kinds of pants and shirt, and where it could very well have been purchased," Williams said.
Both Williams and Parker suggest the subject’s light-color shoes offer law enforcement nearly undeniable information about the size, stature and build of the individual caught in the footage.
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"They're going to be looking at the build and stature of the individual – their height, build and shoe size, how broad their shoulders are, basically their structure," Parker told Fox News Digital. "They're going to try to ascertain how tall this individual is based on where they line up in the video surveillance against a known object that is measurable."
According to Williams, investigators can compare the shoes worn by the subject to the tile flooring on Nancy Guthrie’s porch to reach a measurement of the individual’s feet.
"They're going to be able to measure the tile pavement that he was walking on to determine what size shoe [he is]," Williams said.
Williams also pointed to the gun and holster worn by the individual on the front of their body, adding that law enforcement is likely looking into where both items were purchased to continue building a profile on the subject.
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"It is no doubt about it that the holster that housed the gun that he had in his belt was not made to hold that gun," Williams told Fox News Digital. "They’re going to be trying to run down those kinds of objects and locate who would have made these kinds of purchases in order to identify the alleged abductor."
The final key clue pointed out by experts is the backpack the subject is wearing in the first video released by the FBI, with Parker taking specific note of the reflectors seen on the shoulder straps of the bag.
"I want to know about those reflectors," Parker said. "Is it camping equipment? Why does it have those reflectors? What brand is it? Where did they purchase it?"
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Parker pointed out that the type of backpack – and what it is advertised for – could provide clues to investigators regarding the individual’s background, work and lifestyle.
"Let's say it is potentially camping equipment," Parker said. "I’m going to pull all of the customer orders from the Tucson area for certain camping companies that would sell that type of gear."
The FBI has not identified a suspect or any persons of interest in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, and no arrests have been made.
As the new surveillance footage suggests a major turn in the case, former FBI agent Jason Pack believes the release of the video by law enforcement marks a strategic move to enlist the public’s help in finding the individual seen approaching Nancy Guthrie’s front door moments before she went missing.
"The release of that video yesterday was designed to do exactly this," Pack told Fox News Digital. "Sharpen the public’s focus and generate the kind of specific, credible tips that move an investigation forward."
Fox News Digital's Olivia Palombo contributed to this report.