Nancy Guthrie kidnapper’s possible looks revealed by forensic artist after reviewing surveillance footage
Sketch artist Lois Gibson released a sketch of what she thinks Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapper might look like. Facebook/Lois Gibson
Houston artist Lois Gibson, hailed as “The World’s Most Successful Forensic Artist,” has produced the first public sketch of the suspect believed to have kidnapped beloved grandmother Nancy Guthrie.
Using limited clues from surveillance footage showing a masked figure near Guthrie’s home, Gibson depicted a man with a wide head, thick eyebrows, medium-length dark hair, and a goatee. “I guessed at the parts of the face covered by the ski mask based on the surveillance photos,” Gibson cautioned after sharing her sketch on social media.
“I’ve spent 43 years helping detectives with similar cases. The only features I can be somewhat confident in are the eyes and parts of the lips or mustache. I’ll accept responsibility if I’m drastically wrong,” she added.
Gibson’s sketch is the first attempt to offer a visual lead in the case. Police have not released their own version, though doorbell footage showing the masked man has been shared publicly in hopes someone can identify him. Authorities describe the suspect as a male, approximately 5’9” to 5’10”, of average build.
The release of the footage has already led to at least one temporary detainment. A delivery driver in Tucson was questioned after a relative suggested his eyes matched the suspect’s, but he was later released.
Gibson faced some criticism for releasing her sketch independently, but she defended her decision, citing her long career in forensic art, which has helped recover more than 750 criminals and eight kidnapped victims, including four infants. “I do it to help victims. Critics may call me unethical, but they’ve likely never helped return a child to a desperate family,” she said.
As of Saturday, the Houston Police Department had not made any arrests in the case. Four individuals were briefly detained Friday night, including a mother and her son, but all were released after interviews. Investigators are relying primarily on tips from the public.
DNA evidence from an unidentified person not known to have close contact with Guthrie was collected from her property on Friday and sent for analysis.
Guthrie was last seen on January 31 and reported missing the following day when she did not attend a streamed church service at a friend’s home. Authorities say she was apparently forcibly removed from her house, leaving a trail of blood.
Multiple ransom notes have since emerged, though officials have shared little other information. The FBI has doubled its reward for information leading to Guthrie or her captor to $100,000.
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