Authorities have discovered DNA at Nancy Guthrie’s property that does not match her own or that of anyone known to be closely associated with her, officials have reported.
“DNA found on the property does not belong to Nancy Guthrie or any individuals in her immediate circle,” the sheriff’s department stated. Investigators are currently working to identify the source of this DNA, although they have not revealed the exact location where it was uncovered.
The sheriff’s department, in collaboration with federal agencies, has been conducting an extensive search in Tucson, Arizona. This follows the mysterious disappearance of the 84-year-old, who is the mother of television host Savannah Guthrie, from her million-dollar home situated in the city’s foothills nearly two weeks ago.
During the investigation, several gloves have been discovered at locations ranging from two to ten miles away from Guthrie’s residence.
Contrary to some reports, “No glove was found inside the house or on the immediate property,” the sheriff’s department clarified.
The collected evidence is undergoing forensic analysis and has been sent to a specialized out-of-state laboratory that has been assisting with the investigation from the outset.
The decision was discussed with and agreed upon by local FBI leadership, according to officials.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told ABC News that using the DNA they have from the family and household help they will now ‘go through and try to eliminate people.’
Investigators have been hunting for Nancy, 84, seen here with her daughter Savannah, for 12 days after she disappeared from her home
Investigators found several gloves, ranging from roughly two to 10 miles away from Guthrie’s home
Nanos added that he is hopeful that investigators are making progress in finding Guthrie.
Earlier on Friday, Nanos had denied the existence of any glove to Fox News correspondent Matt Finn: ‘We have no glove. We never found a glove on that property.’
Reuters reported Thursday that Nanos blocked the FBI from examining a glove and DNA that were found inside the residence so they could be processed at the FBI’s national crime lab at Quantico, Virginia.
After the request was made, Nanos denied it and instead sent the evidence for testing at a private DNA lab in Florida, a law enforcement source told the outlet.
The sheriff was accused of ‘further slowing’ the case by not utilizing federal resources, as well as prolonging the ‘Guthrie family’s grief and the community’s wait for justice.
But Nanos has hit back at the allegations that he blocked the FBI from accessing evidence, telling KVOA that it’s ‘not even close to the truth’.
‘Actually, the FBI just wanted to send the one or two they found by the crime scene, closest to it – mile, mile and a half… I said “No, why do that? Let’s just send them all to where all the DNA exists, all the profiles and the markers exist.” They agreed, makes sense,’ he told the news outlet Thursday night.
During his Thursday night remarks, the sheriff claimed ‘quite a number’ of gloves were recovered during the search. ‘We don’t even know the true value of these gloves,’ he added.
The sheriff recently told Fox News that Savannah Guthrie, co-host of the Today Show, texted him, ‘she has her own people and didn’t need him.’
However, Nanos told ABC he is continuing the investigation, as he and the investigators planned to return to the home on Friday to determine the weight of the suspect captured on the home’s security camera.
‘It is really about just taking that video and frame-by-frame and trying to get as much out as we can,’ Nanos said.
The FBI released more details about the suspect on Thursday, describing him as a 5-foot-9-inch or 5-foot-10-inch male with an average build.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, pictured here last week, has headed the investigation along with federal officers
Several gloves were found and will be sent to the same out-of-state lab that has been utilized since the beginning of the investigation
The bureau also shared photos from multiple angles of a black, 25-liter ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack, which the agency said is the brand and model the suspect was wearing.
FBI Phoenix also announced it has hiked its reward to $100,000 for information on Guthrie’s disappearance.
Multiple sources close to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department previously told the Daily Mail how Nanos allegedly mishandled the crime scene and issued contradictory messages to the public.
According to those insiders, a vital search-and-rescue aircraft was grounded in the initial hours of the investigation when it was needed most.
The alleged delay in getting the surveillance aircraft airborne was not caused by mechanical issues or weather, but by staffing shortages that left the department without qualified pilots to fly the plane – a shortage sources blame directly on Nanos.
A masked figure on Nancy Guthrie’s doorstep in the early hours of her disappearance
In multiple press conferences, the sheriff has apologized for delays and walked back statements made during television interviews.
At one briefing, he said Nancy was ‘harmed at the home’ and taken from her bed, before later saying he had misspoken.
In another press conference, he failed to instill confidence when asked about potential suspects and motives, replying: ‘Your guess work is as good as mine.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
