Episode Overview
Title: Finding Nancy Guthrie: Who’s the Backpack Man? (Ep. 8)
Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Lynden Blake, Daily Wire Investigative Reporter
Theme/Purpose:
This episode delivers major updates on the investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today Show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. Lynden Blake details new FBI leads, tensions within law enforcement, the importance of video evidence and forensic methods, and the emotional toll on the Guthrie family. The central focus is on new information regarding the “Backpack Man” seen on Nancy’s doorstep, shedding light on advancing investigative strategies and unresolved agency conflicts.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. FBI Releases Description of “Backpack Man” ([00:11]–[01:20])
- Key Update: FBI gives a physical description of the man seen on Nancy’s doorstep the night she vanished—5’9” to 5’10”, average build, armed, masked, carrying a black backpack.
- New Reward: The reward for information has doubled, now $100,000.
- Notable Lead: The man was seen on doorbell camera tampering with Nancy’s system.
Quote:
“This is an incredible lead for law enforcement and this will reignite every investigator's passion to get this thing moving.”
– Contributor A, [00:02]
2. Tension Between Law Enforcement Agencies ([00:29]–[03:20])
- Jurisdiction Issues: FBI only took control in the past three days due to resistance from local authorities, particularly Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.
- Evidence Handling Conflict:
- Sheriff Nanos sends a vital glove to a private lab in Florida, circumventing FBI protocols.
- FBI may need to retest the glove, causing delays and concern over chain of custody.
- Media Coverage: National news (Fox, TMZ) highlights the law enforcement friction and rumors, including an ominous email reportedly from someone knowing the kidnapper's identity.
Quote:
“I am pretty confident the cooperation, operation level between the sheriff and the FBI is not good.”
– Contributor A, [00:29]
3. Multiple Persons of Interest: The Backpack Man(s) ([03:20]–[04:10])
- Clearing Suspects:
- Investigators rapidly eliminate another “Backpack Man” caught on camera five miles from Nancy’s home as a suspect.
- Focus centers on the man from the night of the disappearance due to match in attire and location.
- Public Involvement: The FBI requests help to identify the suspect and encourages public submissions.
4. Crime Scene Forensics: The Tent and the Glove ([04:10]–[10:27])
- Crime Scene Activity:
- A forensic tent covers Nancy’s front doorstep, site of the camera footage and blood evidence.
- Investigators possibly use measurement tools for height and shoe size analysis, seeking to solidify the suspect's physical characteristics from security footage.
- Investigative Process:
- Mike Easter (former FBI agent) explains stages of evidence collection and dynamic responsiveness to new leads.
- Reference to digital forensics: the “digital imagery and video recovery team” likely on scene.
- Finding Gloves:
- First reported as a single glove, now confirmed as a set, found 1.5 miles from the house.
- Expert opinion downplays the likelihood of evidence being planted, emphasizing need to investigate all related leads.
Quotes:
“I would suspect you're probably looking at… the digital imagery and video recovery team. …these investigations come in phases. As new information or leads are developed, the understanding of what is needed to be collected or re-examined takes place in cycles.”
– Mike Easter, [06:13]
“There's an expectation management in these situations and don't get overly hopeful, but still run these things to ground… I think you're definitely just going to see a lot of leads come in for things that are… similar to what was seen in that surveillance video.”
– Mike Easter, [10:27]
5. The Role of Video & Public Tips ([07:01]–[09:06])
- Doorbell Cam as Breakthrough:
- The footage leads to 4,000+ tips, exponentially expanding investigative avenues.
- FBI processes each tip via their Guardian system, categorizing and escalating as appropriate.
- Ongoing Video Search:
- Pima County Sheriff's office requests surveillance from a two-mile radius around the Guthrie house, from Jan 1 to Feb 2—looking to pick up vehicles, unfamiliar faces, or patterns.
Quote:
“They get a call to that 1-800-call FBI number … it's put in the FBI's guardian system. That's where they track all the leads. That lead is given a number... and they follow up on it and say, okay, what is the priority of this?”
– Tom Winter, NBC, [08:30]
6. The Family’s Agony & Continuing Public Appeal ([11:14]–End)
- Savannah Guthrie’s Statement:
- Savannah posts a childhood video with her mother and siblings, publicly vowing never to give up hope.
- Host underscores the heartbreak and steadfastness of the Guthrie family.
- Renewed Appeal: Lynden Blake urges the public to call the tip line with information.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “This is an incredible lead for law enforcement and this will reignite every investigator's passion to get this thing moving.”
– Contributor A, [00:02] - “I am pretty confident the cooperation, operation level between the sheriff and the FBI is not good.”
– Contributor A, [00:29] - “Sheriff Nanos… is sending a glove recovered from inside the home of Nancy's to a private lab in Florida rather than to the FBI's lab in Virginia. Now, the FBI will likely have to retest this evidence. Incredible.” – Lynden Blake, [01:20]
- “Now that we have the… unique characteristics of the suspect… they're going to re-engage behavioral analysts… try to draw out a device that that individual may have been carrying”…
– Mike Easter, [07:18] - “The FBI… had 4,000 tips already since that doorbell cam footage was released.”
– Lynden Blake, [08:00] - “Our lovely mom. We will never give up on her.”
– Savannah Guthrie (quoted by Lynden Blake), [11:14]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:02: Law enforcement excitement: Case reaches a major turning point
- 00:29: Tension and poor cooperation between local and federal investigators
- 01:20: FBI takes over; controversy about how evidence is handled
- 03:20: Focus on “Backpack Man,” suspect description and public appeal
- 04:10: Forensic tent, crime scene analysis, and possible evidence collection strategies
- 06:13: Mike Easter explains forensic phases and digital recovery
- 07:01: Importance of video evidence and reconstructing the timeline
- 08:30: Tom Winter describes the FBI’s tip and lead management process
- 09:06: Expansion of video search to two-mile radius and longer date range
- 10:27: Examination and significance of found gloves
- 11:14: Savannah Guthrie’s message and emotional family update
Episode Tone & Style
The host, Lynden Blake, maintains a grave, urgent, and emotionally empathetic tone, combining investigative rigor with sensitivity to the Guthrie family's ongoing ordeal. Expert contributions (Mike Easter, Tom Winter) provide technical insight, while the coverage of law enforcement quarrels introduces frustration and urgency.
Summary
Episode 8 of Finding Nancy Guthrie: Who’s the Backpack Man? marks a significant escalation in America’s most talked-about missing person case. With the FBI now spearheading the investigation, fresh leads—particularly the identification of the masked “Backpack Man”—offer renewed hope but also highlight deep operational dysfunction between agencies. As investigators dissect video and physical evidence and the public responds with thousands of tips, the Guthrie family’s resolve and heartbreaking wait underscore the human cost behind the headlines. The plea for information remains urgent, with new details fueling national attention and the search for answers.