The search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie since she disappeared from her Tucson home almost three weeks ago continues at pace, with much of the investigation surrounding DNA found at the crime scene.
Nancy, who was last seen on January 31, was reported missing on the morning of February 1. Savannah Guthrie and the rest of her family are understandably going through a great deal of emotional turmoil as each day progresses without answers. However, the sheriff leading the investigation at the Pima County Sheriff’s Department has now issued a warning to the alleged kidnapper regarding the DNA evidence that was discovered at Nancy’s residence.
Sheriff Warns Kidnapper They May Have Left Behind DNA Evidence
While police have already ruled out members of the Guthrie family, DNA samples found at and near the crime scene have been the center of attention for investigators and the media. A set of gloves found near Nancy’s home proved inconclusive as no matches were found in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) to point to any individual.
Yet, other DNA evidence was also found at the residence and now Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has issued a warning to the alleged kidnapper during an interview with the Today Show.
“We believe that we may have some DNA there that may be our suspect, but we won’t know that until that DNA is separated, sorted out, maybe admitted to CODIS, maybe through genetic genealogy,” Nanos said. “Now we start with genealogy and some of the partial DNA we have at the home. To me, that’s more critical than any glove I found two miles away.”
Nanon also spoke about security footage taken from Nancy’s surveillance equipment that appears to show the masked criminal wearing a distinctive ring.
“I look at the same photo you look at and I get. I see it. I see,” Nanos explained. “People have circled and said (it’s a ring). My speculation is, I’m going to give that to my team. They’ll look at that. They’ll analyze it, and we’ll see.”
He added, “I think this was an individual who had a target for whatever reason, and he has made it tough. But I’ve got some pretty tough investigators, too.”
FBI Agent Predicts Breakthrough in Nancy Guthrie Case Soon
GettyMeanwhile, a former FBI agent has revealed that he believes investigators may make a significant breakthrough in the case within the next 48 hours. Speaking on “Fox and Friends” earlier this week, John Iannarelli said that the advanced technology used in forensic genealogy could produce a fast turnaround in providing results.
“I imagine we’re going to see a fairly quick turnaround. We might even hear something within the next 24 or 48 hours,” he said.
The former FBI agent continued, “There’s been a lot of ways DNA has been developed through the other systems out there. The 23andMe, Ancestry.”
“Any person related to that individual who left their DNA behind at Nancy Guthrie’s home, if they’ve ever taken that test, that DNA evidence is going to be out there, and it will link them to other relatives.”
