FBI says DNA from discarded glove may match masked suspect in abduction of Nancy Guthrie
PHOENIX — Investigators have obtained a DNA profile from a glove discarded near Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home that appears to match the pair worn by a masked person seen on her doorbell camera shortly before she was abducted two weeks ago, the FBI said.
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The preliminary findings, developed by a private crime laboratory in Florida and received by the FBI on Thursday, remain subject to quality control and official confirmation before investigators run the profile through a national database of known DNA, according to an FBI statement. The agency said that process typically takes about 24 hours once the sample is cleared.
Authorities said the glove is one of roughly 16 collected in recent days during searches within a two-mile radius of Guthrie’s residence near Tucson. Most were determined to have been dropped by searchers in the area, investigators said. But the glove yielding a DNA profile “is different and appears to match the gloves” worn by the man in a ski mask who was captured on video trying to disable Guthrie’s door camera in the early morning hours before she disappeared, the FBI said.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Friday he is certain the masked man — who appeared to be armed with a handgun in a holster and carrying an overstuffed backpack — is the primary suspect in the case. Deputies have maintained a guard outside Guthrie’s home as the investigation continues.
Guthrie, 84, the mother of NBC “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was last seen Jan. 31 when relatives dropped her off at her Tucson-area home after dinner, authorities said. Family members reported her missing the next day after they were unable to reach her.
Nanos has said the elder Guthrie’s limited mobility made it impossible for her to leave the home without help, leading investigators to conclude early that she was taken against her will. Traces of blood found on her front porch were previously confirmed by DNA testing to be hers, officials said last week.
At least two purported ransom notes have surfaced since she vanished, both initially delivered to news media outlets, according to authorities. Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have posted video messages pleading for their mother’s return and appealing for the public’s help; in one video, they expressed a willingness to meet ransom demands.
Nanos told Reuters on Friday that investigators have not received proof of life. “There’s not been any proof of death either,” he added.
The FBI said additional DNA from people other than Guthrie or those known to have been in close contact with her was collected at the property, though there has been no official update on results from those samples. Investigators have not publicly identified any suspects.
Guthrie’s family and authorities say she is in frail health, relies on daily medication and has a pacemaker. The case has drawn intense media attention and expressions of sympathy and support, including from President Donald Trump.
Officials urged anyone with information or relevant home-security footage from the area to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department or the FBI tip line as the search for Guthrie enters its third week and forensic testing proceeds.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
