Disheartened volunteers have assumed responsibility for the search for Nancy Guthrie — sifting through the refuse-laden desert ditches and transient camps in proximity to her residence for any potential evidence.
On Sunday, they uncovered a possible clue — a black backpack was located merely two miles from her home.
Nancy Guthrie case: Damaged black bag found
According to The New York POST, the damaged black bag, identified as Swiss Gear, was discovered within a storm drain that also serves as a site for homeless habitation.
The site was a brief drive from Nancy’s residence, who is 84 years old, located in the Catalina Foothills area to the north of Tucson.
Also Read: Who is Jonathan Lee Riches? Shocking ‘Pizza delivery’ incident creates chaos amid Nancy Guthrie case
Nancy Guthrie case: Volunteer Catherine Lopez’s investigation
At approximately 11 am, volunteer Catherine Lopez found the backpack in the tunnel adjacent to West Orange Grove Road, near State Route 77. She contacted the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, and a deputy arrived roughly 15 minutes afterward.
An image from the location features Lopez grasping the backpack with a long stick while communicating with the sheriff’s office.
Another picture depicts an officer, clad in gloves, carefully lifting the closed backpack.
At the time of the discovery, two homeless persons were located in the storm drain. However, the arrival of law enforcement reportedly startled them, prompting their departure from the area.
It does not seem to be the same backpack that the masked individual was seen wearing in the surveillance footage captured by Nancy’s Nest camera earlier this month.
This week, investigators have confirmed that the backpack is a black Ozark Trail Hiker, which is exclusively available at Walmart.
Additionally, another glove was discovered nearby on Sunday, just off North First Avenue.
Pima County Sheriff under scrutiny
This situation arises as Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is facing allegations that his ego is hindering the search for Nancy, whose daughter, Savannah Guthrie, 54, a host on the “Today” show, traveled to Arizona at the beginning of the month to assist in the search efforts.
As no suspects or persons of interest have been identified, over three weeks after Nancy was reported missing on February 1, authorities are getting ready to scale down the search in the coming days, reported The NY POST.