In a dramatic breakthrough in the high-profile disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie—the mother of NBC’s “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie—authorities in southern Arizona have recovered a key piece of evidence that could crack the case wide open.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, working alongside the FBI, announced the discovery of a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack discarded in Rio Rico, a small community roughly 60 miles south of Tucson near the U.S.-Mexico border. This is the exact same backpack model identified by investigators from chilling doorbell camera footage captured at Nancy Guthrie’s home on the night she vanished on January 31.

The footage, released earlier this month after forensic recovery from the camera’s backend data, shows a masked man—described as approximately 5’9″ to 5’10” tall with an average build—approaching the front door wearing gloves, a ski mask, long pants, a jacket, and the distinctive black Ozark Trail backpack. He appears to tamper with the Nest doorbell camera, using a branch to obscure its view, while a handgun is visible in a holster on his person. The suspect’s image was “exposed” on the recording, prompting him to flee and abandon crucial items in a desperate bid to evade capture.

Inside the recovered backpack, officers found the suspect’s own mobile phone—potentially a goldmine for digital forensics—and a handwritten note described by sources close to the investigation as a rùng rợn “agreement” or deal. Details of the note’s exact wording remain under wraps to protect the ongoing probe, but it has been characterized as deeply unsettling and directly tied to the abduction demands. Earlier in the case, purported ransom notes demanding millions in Bitcoin (with escalating deadlines that passed without payment) were sent to media outlets, heightening fears for Guthrie’s safety. She requires daily vital medications, including for a pacemaker and heart conditions, adding urgency to the search.

The backpack, sold exclusively through Walmart, had already been a focal point: Investigators collaborated with the retailer to trace potential purchases after confirming it as the only definitively identified item from the suspect’s attire. The recovery in Rio Rico follows previous leads in the area, including a brief detention and release of a local man during a traffic stop and home search—though he was cleared.

With the FBI’s reward now at $100,000 for credible tips leading to an arrest and conviction, this latest find represents a major pivot. Authorities believe the suspect panicked upon realizing his likeness was captured on camera, ditching the bag to eliminate traceable evidence. Forensic teams are now processing the phone, note, and backpack for DNA, fingerprints, and other clues that could finally identify the abductor.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Tucson-area home, with blood found on the front porch indicating possible violence during the abduction. Her family, including Savannah Guthrie, has remained cooperative while pleading for the public’s help. As the investigation intensifies into its fourth week, every second counts for bringing the 84-year-old safely home—and holding the perpetrator accountable.