Nancy Guthrie, 84, remains missing nearly nine months after her abduction in Tucson, Arizona — and a retired FBI agent has weighed in on a new evidence twist that suggests investigators hold far more material than previously disclosed.
Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, remains missing nearly nine months after her abduction in Tucson, Arizona.
Retired FBI agent Maureen O'Connell highlighted that evidence in the case has been sent to four specialized labs, indicating more evidence exists than previously disclosed.
In the October 21 episode of Brian Entin Investigates, the NewsNation senior national correspondent spoke with former FBI special agent Maureen O'Connell. They chatted about Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos and his recent radio interview on KVOI AM 1030's Bill Buckmaster Show.
"He talked about evidence being at four different labs. That means there was a lot more evidence than we were originally told," O'Connell said.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed evidence has been sent to four specialized laboratories, including a private Deerfield Beach Florida lab and facilities in Kansas and San Francisco.
Each lab specialises in a different technique. The Florida lab is notably capable of extracting a full DNA profile from incredibly difficult samples, such as a rootless strand of hair, while another designated lab specialises strictly in untangling DNA profiles consisting of a mixture of multiple people — in this specific case, a mixture of four distinct individuals.
Detectives traveled to the Florida lab to pursue low-copy-number and rootless-hair DNA testing, while retired investigators say one lab is examining a DNA mixture of up to four people and are surprised there is no genetic-genealogy hit so far.
O'Connell expressed hope that DNA analysis, especially from bodily fluids, could yield breakthroughs. "If they have saliva or if they have DNA that's a bodily fluid, I think that's really good," she said.
Authorities have released doorbell images of a masked person on Guthrie's porch and published alleged ransom notes, but no suspect has been publicly identified or arrested.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen on the evening of January 31 and her family reported her missing on February 1, and she remains unlocated nearly nine months later.
Specialised labs use niche extraction and mixture-analysis techniques that can take weeks or months and may or may not yield profiles usable for genetic genealogy, a reality that shapes investigators' timelines and the family's ongoing $1 million reward appeal.
Sheriff Nanos has said he still does not believe this is a cold case, and the lab work remains active.
How long has Nancy Guthrie been missing? Nearly nine months, since she was last seen on the evening of 31 January and reported missing on 1 February.
Why have four labs been used? Each lab specialises in a different technique, from rootless-hair DNA extraction to untangling a DNA mixture of up to four people.
Has a suspect been identified? No suspect has been publicly identified or arrested, according to reports of the investigation.
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