New Delhi, Feb. 13 -- Online searches for the Ozark Trail Hiker backpack have surged after US investigators confirmed that the suspect in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie was carrying the widely sold bag-turning an everyday retail item into a potential breakthrough clue.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said footage shows the suspect with a 25-litre Ozark Trail Hiker Pack, a model sold by Walmart. The confirmation has driven heightened public interest in the product, as people scan images online and compare them with what they may have seen locally.

With the search entering its 12th day, the FBI also increased the reward for credible information on Guthrie's whereabouts to $100,000, up from $55,000. Investigators described the susp...