Online searches for the Ozark Trail Hiker’s backpack have surged after US investigators confirmed the suspect in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance was carrying the widely sold bag, turning an everyday retail item into a potential breakthrough lead.
The FBI said the footage shows the suspect carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack, a model sold by Walmart. The confirmation has sparked increased public interest in the product as people scan images online and compare them to what they may have seen locally.
As the manhunt entered 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 focus the public tips we receive,” the FBI said, noting that more than 13,000 tips have been received since February 1, 2026. The agency released additional images of the backpack to facilitate identification.
TMZ previously reported — citing law enforcement sources — that the backpack looked like Walmart’s Ozark Trail Hiker Pack, a detail now officially confirmed by the FBI. Authorities have not yet identified a suspect.
The renewed focus on backpacking coincides with a broader push to help the community. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department asked residents near Guthrie’s home to share doorbell and CCTV footage from the night of Jan. 31 when she was abducted. Alerts were sent through the Neighbors app to users within a two-mile radius of her residence.
Meanwhile, Fox News Digital reported that investigators are reviewing footage of a man with a black backpack who was seen several miles from Guthrie’s home that night. A clip believed to be from a neighbour’s door camera is among the material reviewed.
In January, online interest in the Nike Tech Fleece increased after images of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro were widely circulated on social media. A now-viral post shared by US President Donald Trump on Truth Social showed an allegedly “captured” Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima en route to New York, drawing unexpected attention to the outfit he was wearing.