“The World’s Most Successful Forensic Artist” has joined the effort to bring Nancy Guthrie home.
Houston artist Lois Gibson has pieced together the first glimpse at what the beloved grandmother’s kidnapper might look like, using the few clues offered by the disturbing surveillance footage of the masked suspect caught creeping around her home.
According to the notorious artist — whose work has helped apprehend more than 750 criminals — the abductor has a wide head, thick eyebrows, medium-length and dark hair and wears a goatee.
“I GUESSED at the parts of face covered with ski mask on this Nancy Guthrie kidnapping suspect. I used the surveillance photos shown,” Gibson warned after revealing her sketch to social media.
“I spent 43 years at job trying to help detectives with similar photos. Only thing somewhat sure are eyes and part of lips/mustache. I’ll take the hit if I’m drastically wrong.”
The sketch marks the first that could offer clues about the suspect — police have not released their own version, but last week released the doorbell footage depicting the heavily masked man in hopes of reaching someone able to recognize the few features that aren’t covered.
Authorities said that the suspect is a male, about 5’9 or 5’10 and of average build.
The release led to at least one detainment. A delivery driver in Tucson was questioned by police after a family member told cops the man’s eyes matched those of the suspects, but the driver was ultimately released.
Gibson was hit with some criticism for releasing a sketch before law enforcement authorized one, but the famous artist pointed toward her reputation — which earned her the world record title as “The World’s Most Successful Forensic Artist.”
“Pompous critics call me unethical and that they, these critics, have higher professionalism blah blah blah,” Gibson said Friday, before referencing a prior case in which she drew a sketch of an abuse victim based just on the girl’s skull — which the victim’s mother recognized as her missing daughter.
“I do it to help victims of crime. My sketches have retrieved 8 kidnap victims, including 4 infants. These critics have possibly never helped return a baby to their hysterical mom. I have been with loved ones in agony over their kidnapped loved one and it is the worst emotional torture imaginable. I did this in an effort to help.”
The former Houston Police Department sketch artist’s efforts have not yet apparently helped police chase down any leads with the case — as of Saturday, there have still been no arrests.
Four people were detained in overnight operations Friday, including one mother-son duo, but all were released after interviews.
Investigators are mostly relying on hotline tips, sources told The Post.
Earlier Friday, investigators recovered DNA evidence from somebody not known to be “in close” contact with Guthrie from her property.
The unidentified DNA was sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Guthrie was last seen alive on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day when she failed to show up to watch a church service being streamed at a friend’s house.
She was apparently forcibly removed from the house, leaving a trail of blood behind.
Multiple ransom notes have surfaced since she vanished at the hands of her self-proclaimed kidnappers.
Investigators have released little information, but shared surveillance footage of the armed and masked creep caught on Guthrie’s Nest camera lurking at her front door.
The suspect is a man, approximately 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and has an average build, according to the feds.
The FBI also doubled its reward to $100,000 for information leading to Guthrie or her captor.
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