Investigators in the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie have finally identified DNA found on one of the gloves discovered near the 84-year-old’s Tucson home on February 15.
According to the new revelations, authorities claimed the result ruled out one theory that the glove belonged to the person who abducted the TODAY show host Savannah Guthrie’s mom.
Highlights
- Investigators have identified the DNA found on a mysterious glove discovered near Nancy Guthrie’s home.
- Investigators further shared that other items found during the search are being analyzed.
- As the investigation hits a critical one-month milestone, Savannah Guthrie and her family have upped the stakes significantly in a desperate bid for any information that could bring her mother home.
While the development cleared one puzzling clue in the investigation, officials stressed that the case itself remains unsolved.
Investigators revealed the identified DNA on the glove found near Nancy Guthrie’s home
Image credits: Savannah Guthrie/Facebook
The glove was discovered along a dirt path roughly two miles from Nancy’s home in Arizona.
At the time, investigators considered it a potentially significant clue because it resembled the glove worn by the masked person seen in surveillance footage outside Guthrie’s house on the night she disappeared.
After weeks of testing, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed that the DNA recovered from the glove has now been matched.
"There was some talk and discussion that it was police officers out in the field just discarding them, that is so far from the truth,” Nanos told KVOA.
Image credits: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Image credits: KGUN9
“We knew that at that time, we believed wholeheartedly that those gloves belonged to a restaurant,” he added. “The owner of the glove, we found, was working at a restaurant across the street.”
According to him, the glove has “nothing to do with the case.”
Authorities have not disclosed the name of the employee or whether investigators questioned the individual further.
Before the DNA revelation, the discovery of the glove raised hopes of a break in the case
Image credits: TODAY Food
When the glove was first found in mid-February, investigators hoped the DNA could help identify the person responsible for Nancy’s disappearance.
Moreover, earlier evidence showed a masked individual wearing gloves outside her home in the early hours of February 1. Surveillance footage released by authorities captured the suspect approaching the front door before disconnecting the doorbell camera.
Image credits: FBI Director Kash Patel
The footage depicted a man believed to be around 5’9” to 5’10” tall with an average build, wearing a backpack described as a black 35-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.”
Authorities further claimed the camera was disconnected at 1:47 a.m., and minutes later, a dark figure approached the property. At approximately 2:28 a.m., Nancy’s pacemaker stopped syncing with an app connected to her phone.
Additionally, blood found on the front porch was later confirmed to belong to Nancy.
Although the glove has been ruled out as evidence from the investigation, investigators alleged that other items are still being analyzed
Image credits: FOX 10 Phoenix
Following the development, investigators have confirmed that other items collected during the search are still being analyzed.
Nanos confirmed that additional gloves recovered near the home have been sent to a laboratory in Florida for testing.
"It's a challenge because we know we have DNA, but now we have to deal with that mixture and how we're going to separate it," Nanos said.
Image credits: FOX 10 Phoenix
Authorities also stated they’re reviewing footage from nearby homes. One video obtained by Fox News showed a vehicle speeding down a road about 2.5 miles from Nancy’s residence around 2:36 a.m. on February 1.
Investigators have not confirmed whether the vehicle is connected to the case.
Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance approached the one-month mark as Savannah continues to seek help from the public
Image credits: Savannah Guthrie/Facebook
As reported by Bored Panda, Nancy was last seen on January 31, after having dinner with her daughter, Annie, and son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni. She was dropped off at her Tucson home later that evening.
Her family reported her missing the following day when she failed to attend a church service.
The case quickly drew national attention due to her connection to Savannah.
Image credits: Savannah Guthrie/Facebook
As she continues to seek help from the public, Savannah posted an emotional video on February 24, asking the public for help. She also announced that the family is offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to her mother’s recovery.
The Guthrie family has also donated $500,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The FBI’s $100,000 reward for tips in the case also remains active.
"I think the case was bungled badly," wrote one netizen
