TUCSON, Ariz. — Investigators have recovered DNA from an unknown male from a glove found near the home of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of television journalist Savannah Guthrie, according to sources within the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department. The development, confirmed Friday, represents a significant break in the case as the search for Guthrie enters its second week.
The glove, discovered approximately two miles from Guthrie’s residence in the Catalina Foothills area of Tucson, appears to match the type worn by a suspect captured on her doorbell camera tampering with the device on the morning of February 1, 2026, the day of her disappearance. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told ABC News that DNA had been retrieved from “multiple gloves” recovered during the search, but emphasized the significance of this particular finding.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department dispatched the glove to a private laboratory in Florida Thursday evening, and preliminary results were received by the FBI on Saturday, officials said. The bureau is currently awaiting final quality control confirmation before entering the DNA profile into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a national database used to link crimes with known offenders. The CODIS process typically takes 24 hours once the FBI receives the DNA, according to the bureau.
The focus on DNA evidence comes amid scrutiny of Sheriff Nanos’ handling of the investigation. A law enforcement official with knowledge of the case, speaking on condition of anonymity, has alleged that Nanos is impeding FBI access to key evidence, including the glove and DNA samples, by insisting on utilizing the Florida lab instead of the FBI’s national forensic laboratory in Quantico, Virginia. The Independent reported on this dispute, citing concerns that the decision is slowing the investigation.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has stated that investigators have “recovered several items of evidence, including gloves,” and that all viable evidence is being submitted for analysis. However, the decision to prioritize the Florida lab has drawn criticism, with the anonymous official estimating the county has already spent $200,000 to send evidence to the private facility. Hindustan Times reported on the financial implications of this decision.
Sheriff Nanos has faced previous controversies during his tenure, including FBI investigations and legal disputes. Fox News detailed a history of conflict, noting that Nanos won his 2024 re-election by a narrow margin of 481 votes. In the lead-up to that election, Nanos placed two outspoken opponents – a jail lieutenant and the head of the Pima County Deputies Organization – on administrative leave, prompting accusations of political interference.
Investigators have collected approximately 16 gloves in the vicinity of Guthrie’s home, most of which are believed to be discarded searchers’ gloves, according to the FBI. The glove containing the unidentified male DNA profile is distinct from these and appears to correspond to the gloves worn by the individual seen in the surveillance footage. The FBI is now awaiting the completion of the CODIS search, which could potentially identify the suspect and provide crucial leads in the ongoing investigation.
As of Sunday, the whereabouts of Nancy Guthrie remain unknown, and the FBI is preparing to enter the recovered DNA profile into the national database, a process expected to be completed within 24 hours.
