The investigation into the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC host Savannah Guthrie, faced a major setback on Tuesday (February 17) as a crucial lead failed to yield results. The DNA extracted from a glove found near the 84-year-old woman’s residence did not match any profiles in the national DNA database.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced this development, marking a significant disappointment for investigators. Nancy Guthrie’s family reported her missing on February 1st, and ever since then, the search for the elderly woman has entered its 17th day.
The glove found near the Guthrie residence was initially seen as one of the most promising leads in the investigation. Investigators had hoped that when the DNA sample extracted from the glove was compared in the national database known as CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), it would result in a match, referred to as a “hit” by forensic experts.
The glove was discovered in a roadside field about 2 miles from Guthrie’s home in Tucson. It bore resemblance to the glove worn by a masked individual captured on surveillance footage from Guthrie’s doorbell camera attempting to tamper with it in the early hours of the morning shortly before her abduction.
Sheriff Chris Nanos of Pima County stated that the man seen in the surveillance footage is likely the perpetrator of the kidnapping and is a key suspect being pursued by law enforcement.
However, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office noted in a statement on Tuesday that other DNA evidence found in the Guthrie residence is still undergoing analysis, emphasizing that “CODIS is just one of many available databases.”
This article was compiled with reference to reports from Reuters.