Police said new evidence has emerged in the kidnapping case of Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC host Savannah Guthrie. Investigators found DNA evidence in Nancy Guthrie’s home that does not belong to her or her close contacts.
In a case update on Friday, the Pima County Police Department in Arizona reported this information but noted that they are working to identify whom the DNA belongs to and did not disclose the location of the discovery.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos stated in an interview with Fox News on Friday that they are currently collaborating with a forensic laboratory in Florida to analyze this biological evidence. Nanos added that the possibility of the DNA evidence belonging to individuals associated with the residence has been ruled out.
Nanos also refuted criticisms of how the local police handled the evidence, stating that his department has been closely cooperating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and that the decision to send the biological evidence to the Florida lab was based on established procedures.
There were previous reports alleging that the Pima County Police Department refused to hand over evidence for analysis to the FBI’s forensic department.
Nanos clarified to Fox News that the glove, considered potential evidence, was not found in the Guthrie’s home but located two miles away during an expanded search.
The Pima County Police Department has mentioned that gloves and other evidence related to the case are undergoing analysis at the lab. They also stated that “investigators do not rule out any individuals or possibilities.”
The FBI released surveillance footage from the doorbell camera at the Guthries’ home on Tuesday, showing a person wearing long sleeves and pants, carrying a backpack, approaching the house and attempting to cover the camera.
On Thursday, the FBI released new photos related to the case, announcing that the suspect in the video was carrying a black hiking backpack with a capacity of 25 liters, branded as “Ozark Trail.” The agency described the suspect as a male with a height between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches (approximately 1.75 meters to 1.78 meters) and of medium build.
Also on Thursday, the FBI increased the reward for information in the case from $50,000 to $100,000 to seek leads that can help find Guthrie or lead to the identification and arrest of the suspect.