Former FBI agent calls holster setup in Nancy Guthrie case ‘incredibly amateur and unsafe’

TUCSON, Ariz. — Former FBI agents are questioning a holster configuration seen in surveillance video tied to the Nancy Guthrie case, calling the apparent pairing of a semi-automatic handgun with a revolver-style polyester holster “incredibly amateur and unsafe.”

During an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity,” TMZ founder Harvey Levin said his team closely examined the recently released surveillance video and believes the suspect was carrying a semi-automatic pistol inside a soft polyester holster typically associated with revolvers. 

“Typically, people who have a polyester holster carry a revolver in it,” Levin told Sean Hannity Wednesday night. “In this case, it was a semi-automatic handgun.”

Levin acknowledged he is not a gun expert but said gun specialists told him the pairing is unusual. He said TMZ began contacting gun ranges in the Tucson area to see whether anyone might remember spotting someone carrying what he described as a mismatched setup.

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“We weren’t able to find anything,” Levin said, adding that the FBI and the sheriff’s department are pursuing similar inquiries.

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‘Incredibly amateur and unsafe,’ former FBI agent says

John Nantz, a former FBI agent, told Fox News Digital the holster appears ill-fitted and potentially unsafe.

“The holster clearly doesn’t fit the semi-automatic pistol,” Nantz said. “It’s incredibly amateur and unsafe. The gun could easily fall out of that holster. No one even minimally trained or experienced would carry a firearm in that fashion.”

Nantz noted that trained professionals typically carry semi-automatic handguns in molded Kydex or leather holsters designed for specific gun models and equipped with retention systems that secure the weapon in place.

Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack said Kydex holsters, a hard plastic style frequently used by police, are designed to “click” or lock into place, while leather holsters are often shaped to fit specific guns.

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“I’ve never seen anybody carry a holster right there before like that,” Pack said, adding the holster appears inconsistent with the rigid, model-specific holsters commonly used by law enforcement.

Pack also noted that inexpensive nylon or polyester holsters are widely available at big-box retailers and regularly used by civilian gun owners.

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Authorities have not publicly indicated whether the holster configuration is central to their investigation.

WATCH: 

Nancy Guthrie disappearance timeline:

Jan. 31, 2026

• Between 9:30–9:45 p.m. — Family drops Nancy off at home
• 9:50 p.m. — Garage door closes (per authorities)

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Feb. 1, 2026

• 1:47 a.m. — Doorbell camera disconnects
• 2:12 a.m. — Security camera detects motion
• 2:28 a.m. — Pacemaker disconnects from phone application
• 11:56 a.m. — Family checks on Nancy after she misses weekly church livestream gathering
• 12:03 p.m. — 911 called
• 12:15 p.m. — Sheriff’s deputies arrive at home