The disappearance case of Nancy Guthrie, mother of the Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, is still unresolved despite the glimmer of hope that was found after gloves found 2 miles from Nancy’s house were sent for the FBI’s CODIS DNA testing. Authorities were hopeful the database would show potential matches, but unfortunately, that has not been the case.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has also revealed that the DNA found at Nancy’s home does not match the DNA found in the gloves, and therefore, the search for a suspect is back to square one. The video footage of the suspect has also not helped much, despite it being widely circulated and the FBI announcing monetary rewards for any relevant leads.
In a Fox News interview, the sheriff further revealed that they have not yet narrowed down the suspect list. Instead, he said that they were looking at various pieces of evidence, like a glove, camera footage, and other evidence, to find who is responsible.
The search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie is intensifying as investigators continue to sift through numerous tips, even as DNA evidence comes up short. https://t.co/DiS3rynBKP
— KWWL (@KWWL) February 17, 2026
Donna Ratuno, a criminal defense attorney, talked about the case and highlighted the fact that it was moving at a rather disappointing speed. She said that the fact that the sheriff does not have a suspect list ready for a woman who has been missing since February 1 does not paint a hopeful picture.
Moreover, Ratuno mentions that previously, the sheriff had said that Nancy’s disappearance might be solved the very next day or might take days, months, or even years. However, as she rightly pointed out, Nancy is an abducted woman whose body has not been recovered yet. Therefore, for the family, it is natural to expect that she is alive, out there somewhere.
Therefore, tagging it as a “case” and saying that it might take years to solve it could appear discouraging for the family. Nancy’s disappearance has been unusual from the very beginning, primarily because of her old age and the lack of clues to identify a motive that would eventually lead to a suspect.
“They ask me if I have proof of life.⁰I ask them — do you have proof of death?”
Sheriff Nanos still believes Nancy Guthrie will be found.
Hope is the last thing to fade. pic.twitter.com/T39nKPhP6A
— MAGA NATION (@maga_nation89) February 18, 2026
The Guthrie family had previously been cleared as suspects, and Nancy’s children, including Savannah, had posted videos on social media addressed to the abductor for the safe return of their mother. However, that appeal has also not yielded any positive results.
After Nancy’s abduction, there were ransom notes, but they were sent to media outlets instead of the family members, which made the whole move seem suspicious. Retired FBI agent Greg Rogers also spoke about the case and highlighted the fact that, given the strange nature of the kidnapping, it was highly unlikely that someone who did not know much about the Guthrie family had randomly taken Nancy.
The advanced DNA testing had offered hope, but now, with the lack of matches, it seems to be another dead end. With the police saying they are working with multiple pieces of evidence to zero in on a suspect, more information on the case is awaited.
