Eighteen days into the search for Nancy Guthrie, and hundreds of investigators are pursuing leads based off of tens of thousands of tips and are adamant that the case has not gone cold.
“As long as we have the ability to chase a lead, it’s not cold,” Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos, told NBC News Tuesday.
Nancy Guthrie, 84-year-old mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, was allegedly taken from her home in Tucson, Arizona in the early hours of Feb. 1. The most tangible evidence investigators have discovered thus far is a set of gloves that may have been worn by the unidentified man caught on Guthrie’s security camera. The gloves were found two miles from Guthrie’s house.
Investigators are now attempting to use the DNA found on the gloves to track down the alleged abductor.
After testing the DNA found on the gloves, investigators failed to make a match to any of the 22 million people listed in the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS. The DNA was also not a match to any DNA found on Guthrie’s property.
“Further testing needs to be done as part of the investigation,” said the sheriff’s department. They are now conducting genetic genealogy searches. Even though there is no direct match, CODIS is not the only option. There might be a family member listed who investigators could connect by creating a family DNA tree.
The FBI described the man caught on the Google Nest security camera as an average build male around 5’9″ to 5’10”. He was wearing a ski mask, gloves, and a Walmart brand backpack. Multiple people have been arrested in the search, but all have been released.
Pima County Sheriff is also attempting to track Guthrie’s pacemaker using a technology called BlueFly. In a press release regarding the search, Parsons described the technology as “a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi sensor intended for search and rescue operations in challenging environments.”
Guthrie’s family has been cleared from being investigated as suspects. Her three children are often taking to social media pleading for their mother to be returned alive.
“Whoever has her, or knows where she is, that it’s never too late,” said Savannah Guthrie in an Instagram post on Monday. “And you’re not lost or alone. And it is never too late to do the right thing. And we are here. We believe. And we believe in the essential goodness of every human being. And it’s never too late,” she continued.
The reward for Guthrie has reached $100,000.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that the Department of Justice would seek the death penalty of Guthrie’s kidnappers if she were found dead.
