Sheriff Says DNA May Be Key To IDing Kidnapper

Nancy Guthrie‘s kidnapper could be identified from DNA left at the crime scene in Arizona, according to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.

Nanos sat down for a TODAY Show interview Wednesday about the Guthrie case and, at one point, discussed the DNA found at Nancy’s home in Tucson.

The sheriff said, “We believe we may have some DNA there that may be our suspect, but we won’t know that until that DNA is separated, sorted out.”

Nanos added, “To me, that’s more critical than any glove I found two miles away.”

Pima County Sheriff investigators found gloves 2 miles from Nancy’s house and submitted them to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) for testing, but the results came back negative for a match. 

During his TODAY Show interview, Nanos also said he believes Nancy — the mother of TODAY show host Savannah Guthrie — was targeted by her abductor.

He said, “I think this was an individual who had a target for whatever reason, and he has made it tough, but I’ve got some pretty tough investigators too.”

The FBI, which is assisting the sheriff’s office, released doorbell camera footage from Nancy’s house, showing the masked kidnapper wearing gloves and a holstered pistol on his waist while lurking around the porch during the commission of the crime. 

FBI agents have fanned out to Arizona gun stores to try to match the unique holster seen in the doorbell video with a purchase at one of the shops.

Nanos also addressed rumors that the kidnapper was wearing a ring underneath his glove, confirming that he “sees it” too and will have his team of detectives look into it.