Arizona Gun Store Owner Aids FBI in Nancy Guthrie Investigation

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An Arizona gun store owner, Phillip Martin of Armor Bearer Arms in Tucson, says an FBI agent visited his shop and asked him to check recent firearm purchases against a list of nearly two dozen people as part of the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. Martin agreed to help, stating he felt bad for Guthrie's family and was willing to do anything to assist in finding the person responsible.

Why it matters

The FBI's request to the gun store owner highlights the wide-ranging efforts authorities are making to try to locate Nancy Guthrie and identify her abductor. Checking firearm sales records could potentially provide crucial leads, as the armed suspect remains at large.

The details

According to Martin, the FBI agent provided him with a list of approximately 18-24 individuals, including their photos and names, and asked him to check if any of them had purchased a firearm from his store within the past year. Martin said he entered each last name into his store's electronic records system, but none of the names returned a match for recent gun purchases. The agent told Martin that investigators planned to visit additional gun stores to see if anyone on the list had recently bought a weapon.

• On February 18, 2026, an FBI agent visited Armor Bearer Arms in Tucson, Arizona.
• The agent asked Phillip Martin, the co-owner of the gun store, to check recent firearm purchases against a list of nearly two dozen individuals.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The FBI agent told Phillip Martin that investigators planned to visit additional gun stores to determine whether anyone on the list of individuals had recently bought a weapon.