Pima County Sheriff Announces DNA Test Results in Guthrie Case

The investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie took a significant turn this week after local authorities revealed that DNA recovered from a key piece of evidence failed to generate a match in the federal system.

On Tuesday, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that genetic material collected from a glove discovered near the area where Guthrie vanished did not correspond to any known offender in the FBI’s national database.

Sheriff Chris Nanos said the unidentified male DNA profile was submitted to the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which catalogs DNA from convicted criminals nationwide. Despite expectations that it could produce a lead, the database search came up empty. Additional DNA evidence found at Guthrie’s residence remains under active forensic review.

“The DNA that was submitted to CODIS was from the set of gloves found 2 miles away. It did not trigger a match in CODIS & did not match DNA found at the property,” the Pima County Sheriff said on Tuesday.

“The DNA found at the property is being analyzed & further testing needs to be done as part of the investigation,” the Sheriff added.

The glove in question was located roughly two miles from Guthrie’s home in the Catalina Foothills. Investigators believe it resembles gloves worn by a masked individual captured on surveillance video the night she was last seen. Law enforcement agencies at the local and federal level are coordinating what has become an expansive, multi-agency criminal probe.

Authorities have previously ruled out family members as suspects and emphasized that the case remains active and ongoing. The FBI continues to pursue forensic evidence and tips from the public as the search enters its third week.

Guthrie — mother of television journalist Savannah Guthrie — was reported missing on February 1 after being dropped off at her Catalina Foothills residence. Investigators believe she may have been abducted during the early morning hours, citing signs of forced entry and blood evidence discovered inside the home.

“We’re hopeful that we’re always getting closer, but the news now, I think, is we had heard this morning that, of course, the DNA on the glove that was found two miles away was submitted for CODIS. And I just heard that, CODIS had no hits,” Nanos said.

In a potentially pivotal development, investigators have zeroed in on clothing and gear worn by the masked suspect — items they believe were purchased from retail giant Walmart.

According to Sheriff Nanos in comments to CBS News, the suspect’s black Ozark Trail Hiker backpack — clearly visible in the now widely circulated doorbell footage — is sold exclusively through Walmart. Detectives are working to determine whether the backpack and other apparel were purchased online or at a brick-and-mortar location, either in Arizona or beyond.

Investigators have reportedly spent days combing through surveillance footage from multiple Walmart stores in an effort to trace the buyer. CBS News further reported that Walmart has turned over records of recent Ozark Trail Hiker backpack purchases, including both in-store and online transactions, spanning Tucson and surrounding communities. A company spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.

The backpack has quickly become a focal point as authorities attempt to narrow the suspect pool.

Federal agents are also analyzing the mask worn by the suspect. Though the face covering appears lighter in the Nest doorbell footage, officials believe that effect is due to the infrared technology of the camera and maintain that the mask itself is black.

The FBI has released images of the individual, describing him as a male of average build standing between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall.

Over the weekend, federal authorities confirmed that a black glove recovered near Guthrie’s residence appears consistent with the gloves seen on the suspect in surveillance footage — a detail that underscores both the seriousness and urgency of the investigation.

As law enforcement continues to piece together forensic evidence, the community remains on edge — waiting for answers in a case that has drawn national attention and underscores the growing concerns many Americans have about safety and accountability.