Investigators searching for missing Arizona grandmother Nancy Guthrie say they have recovered DNA from her property that does not belong to her or anyone known to be in close contact with her.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that “DNA other than Nancy Guthrie’s and those in close contact to her has been collected from the property,” but declined to disclose where the material was found.
Authorities said the samples will undergo further forensic testing as investigators work to identify the source.
Guthrie, 84, vanished nearly two weeks ago from her $1 million home in the foothills of Tucson, Arizona, prompting a large-scale search involving local deputies and federal agents.
Investigators have also recovered several gloves ranging from roughly two to 10 miles away from her residence.
However, the sheriff’s department clarified that “reports that a glove was found inside the residence or on the property are inaccurate.”
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told ABC News that investigators are using DNA from family members and household staff to eliminate known profiles before determining whether the recovered material belongs to a potential suspect.
“We’ll go through and try to eliminate people,” Nanos said.
The DNA and related evidence will be sent to the same out-of-state laboratory that has handled testing since the beginning of the investigation.
That decision has drawn scrutiny. Reuters reported that the FBI sought to process some evidence at its Quantico crime lab, but Nanos instead opted to send all samples to a private DNA lab in Florida.
A law enforcement source told Reuters the decision may have slowed the process, though Nanos denied blocking federal involvement.
“It’s not even close to the truth,” he told KVOA, explaining that sending all samples to one facility made logistical sense.
Meanwhile, investigators continue analyzing surveillance footage that captured a masked figure at Guthrie’s doorstep in the early hours of her disappearance.
Nanos said authorities are reviewing the footage frame by frame to extract additional details, including estimating the suspect’s weight.
The FBI has described the suspect as a male standing approximately 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10 with an average build.
Officials also released images of a black 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack they believe the suspect was wearing, per the Daily Mail.
The FBI’s Phoenix field office has increased the reward for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery to $100,000.
The case has been complicated by conflicting public statements from authorities.
In earlier press conferences, Nanos said Guthrie had been “harmed at the home” before later clarifying that he had misspoken.
When asked about suspects and motives during another briefing, he replied, “Your guess work is as good as mine.”
