Nancy Guthrie case update: Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos reveals forensic snag
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TUCSON, Arizona — Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators in the Nancy Guthrie missing persons case are not seeking new names amid problems with mixed DNA found at the 84-year-old’s Arizona home at the lab his agency uses.
“In terms of accomplishments and work and getting out there, I think it’s still growing, yeah,” Nanos said of the investigation during a meeting. interview with “NBC Nightly News” aired Saturday.
The sheriff’s remarks contradicted statements from local businesses that they were shown a list of names and pictures by the FBI.
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Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home in the early morning hours of February 1, and investigators ruled it an apparent abduction. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said no new names are being investigated in the case and cited technological challenges with DNA. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images; courtesy NBC)
It’s also unclear whether the DNA found at Guthrie’s home is useful to the investigation. Nanos said the samples were mixed, meaning they contained DNA from more than one person, making them difficult to examine in national databases.
“Our lab tells us there are challenges with this,” Nanos said of the Florida lab his department uses. “Technology is moving so fast and crazy that they think things will sort themselves out in a few weeks, months, or maybe a year.”
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Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaks to the media and answers questions about the search for Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 3 in Catalina, Ariz. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images)
The sheriff noted that investigators are still working on other leads in the weeks-long investigation into Guthrie’s abduction.
“I think we’re getting a little bit closer to identifying not just the backpack, but some of the other items as well. Like shoes, pants, shirts or jackets,” he said.
Guthrie was last seen on Saturday night, January 31, 2026, after being dropped off at his home in the Catalina Foothills area near Tucson.
“Today” host Savannah Guthrie with her mother, Nancy Guthrie. (Don Arnold/WireImage)
“It’s never fast enough for the sheriff,” Nanos said of criticism of his office weeks after Gutherie disappeared without an arrest. “I want it just like you. Come on, guys, let’s go. Let’s go, let’s find him. But the truth is, I know sometimes things take time.”
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“We’re not quitting,” he added. “We will find him.”
Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
