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Nancy Guthrie: Famed Houston forensic artist sketches her guess of potential suspect
Houston forensic sketch artist Lois Gibson, who have helped solve more than 1,300 cases, came out of retirement to share her sketch of Nancy Guthrie's potential kidnapping suspect based on photos shared by the FBI. FOX 26's Mekenna Earnhart.
HOUSTON - The world’s most successful forensic artist is returning to her easel for one of the most high-profile kidnapping cases in recent memory.
"Where are they? Can I stop it?'"
The backstory:
Lois Gibson, the Guinness World Record holder and retired Houston Police Department veteran, has released an unofficial forensic sketch of the suspect wanted in the February 1 disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her Arizona home in a case that has captured national attention.
LATEST REPORT: 1 reportedly detained in connection with case
Despite retiring in 2021 after a 43-year career, Gibson says she felt a hard need to assist the Guthrie family.
"I knew the pain that the loved ones were going through," Gibson said. "It's the most horrific, insane torture if you have a kidnapping... every minute seems like a half hour because you say, 'Where are they? Are they being killed? Can I stop it?'"
Drawing through the mask
Big picture view:
The challenge of this specific unofficial sketch lies in the surveillance footage released by the FBI, which shows a suspect wearing a ski mask and armed with a handgun.
Gibson admits that because the face was covered, much of her work is an "educated guess" based on mathematical probability and decades of experience.
She focused on the few features visible through the mask: the eyes, the eyelids, and a distinct mustache.
"I have the philtrum ratio to where the eyes are, and I know the nose ends there," Gibson explained, referencing the biological measurements she uses to reconstruct a face. "I got the eye shape... I got this mustache. If I had to bet my house and car, yeah, he had the mustache."
While Gibson acknowledges that parts of the rendering, like the hair and the exact shape of the jaw, are "brave guesses," she is unapologetic about her decision to put the image out.
"I’ve gotten hugely criticized by people in my field, of course, and I knew they would," Gibson said. "I’ll take the hit because I went into battle. If it solves it, oh my gosh... I wanted to help the emotional pain of the Guthrie family."
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Famed Houston forensic artist on Nancy Guthrie suspect sketch | Full interview
Record-holding Houston forensic sketch artist Lois Gibson came out of retirement to share her sketch of Nancy Guthrie's potential kidnapping suspect based on photos shared by the FBI. FOX 26 reporter Mekenna Earnhart and photojournalist Raymond Ramirez spoke to Gibson about what inspired her to draw the sketch.
A career of results
Why you should care:
Gibson is no stranger to high-stakes cases. Over her career, she has worked 5,089 cases and helped identify more than 1,300 suspects.
She famously helped recover a 10-hour-old baby that had been kidnapped from a hospital.
For this case, she worked quickly, completing the unofficial rendering in less than an hour. "Me drawing a face is like a fish swimming in water," she said. "I don't feel right unless I'm drawing it."
As the FBI continues its search and maintains a $100,000 reward for Guthrie’s safe return, Gibson hopes her unofficial contribution provides the one lead the detectives need.
"Somebody knows that guy," Gibson said. "I did it for the victims. That's what I do."
The Source: Lois Gibson, retired Houston Police forensic artist