In Tucson, Arizona, cutting-edge DNA analysis that marries crime scene samples with data from commercial genealogy platforms may require several weeks or even months for results, as per expert insights. This delay follows the inability of a glove found near Nancy Guthrie’s residence to yield a match in the FBI’s database.
In a conversation with Fox News on Tuesday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos shared that the DNA collected from Guthrie’s home and the nearby glove did not correspond with any entries in the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). An FBI representative confirmed to Fox News Digital that investigative genetic genealogy is currently being employed in the search for Guthrie.
Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson residence on the morning of February 1, an incident authorities believe did not occur voluntarily. Despite ongoing efforts, her whereabouts remain unknown.
Jason Pack, a former FBI special agent, explained to Fox News Digital that investigative genetic genealogy merges crime scene DNA analysis with the exploration of publicly accessible genealogy databases, alongside traditional genealogical research methods.
On Monday, February 9, 2026, a Pima County sheriff’s deputy was stationed outside Nancy Guthrie’s home in Tucson. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil; Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
Pack highlighted the distinction between this technique and CODIS, noting that CODIS relies on comparing crime scene DNA to individuals already documented due to arrests or convictions.
Pack said the investigative genetic genealogy could take several weeks up to several months in a case like this, noting it’s “not a quick database check.”
“Once the DNA profile is built from the glove, a genealogist builds a family tree working outward from partial matches in consumer databases like GEDmatch or FamilyTreeDNA. You are essentially reconstructing someone’s family history from distant cousins and working your way inward until you can identify a common ancestor and then narrow down to a specific individual. The timeline depends on a few variables,” he said.
A member of the Pima County sheriff’s office remains outside of Nancy Guthrie‘s home, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. (Ty ONeil/AP Photo)
Pack said the time it takes to complete investigative genetic genealogy depends on several factors, such as the number of relatives who have submitted consumer DNA tests and how clean a DNA sample is. The less participation in commercial DNA testing by a suspect’s family, Pack says, the more time the process takes.
A spokesperson for Othram, which conducts investigative genetic genealogy, told Fox News Digital that the amount of time needed to find a match depends on several factors, but it could be done in a fairly quick process.
An undated photo of Nancy Guthrie and Savannah Guthrie was provided by NBC in response to the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of the “Today” show host. (Courtesy of NBC)
“It took 48 hours for Kohberger. It took 24 hours to create a profile. Now we’ve created software to do it faster. Genealogy for the Kohberger case was very quick,” the spokesperson said.
The technique was used to catch the Golden State Killer in 2018, who killed at least 13 people and sexually assaulted another 50 women after investigators uploaded DNA found at the crime scene to a genecology database and found a distant cousin. The distant cousin was used to build a family tree, which eventually led investigators to Joseph DeAngelo.
An investigator looks inside a culvert in the neighborhood where Annie Guthrie, whose mother Nancy Guthrie has been missing for more than a week, lives just outside Tucson, Ariz., on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Ty ONeil/AP Photo)
In an emotional video released Sunday, NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie said, “it is never too late to do the right thing”.
“I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope and we still believe. And I wanted to say to whoever has her or knows where she is. It’s never too late. And you’re not lost or alone,” Guthrie said. “We believe in the essential goodness of every human being. And it’s never too late.”
Nancy Guthrie disappearance timeline:
Jan. 31, 2026
• Between 9:30–9:45 p.m. – Family drops Nancy off at home
• 9:50 p.m. – Garage door closes (per authorities)
Feb. 1, 2026
• 1:47 a.m. – Doorbell camera disconnects
• 2:12 a.m. – Security camera detects motion
• 2:28 a.m. – Pacemaker disconnects from phone application
• 11:56 a.m. – Family checks on Nancy after she misses weekly church livestream gathering
• 12:03 p.m. — 911 called
• 12:15 p.m. — Sheriff’s deputies arrive at home
