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In a significant development in the search for Nancy Guthrie, new ‘biological evidence’ has been reportedly found at her residence. This discovery coincides with an anonymous donor contributing a six-figure sum to increase the reward for information that could lead to either Nancy’s safe return or the capture of her presumed abductor.
Nancy Guthrie, aged 84, was last seen at her Tucson, Arizona home on January 31. Authorities suspect she was taken around 2 a.m. on February 1, marking her disappearance as a likely abduction.
As the search for the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie reaches its 18th day, investigators have yet to make any arrests concerning her disappearance.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is rigorously pursuing leads in this ongoing case.
According to police sources cited by the New York Post, investigators have discovered DNA evidence at her Arizona home that does not match Nancy Guthrie’s, potentially offering a new lead in the investigation.
It’s unclear where the evidence was uncovered, whether it was shared with the FBI, and if authorities are treating it as a potential lead.
Investigators said in a recent update that they were ‘currently analyzing biological evidence’ found in Guthrie’s home, and the DNA profiles were under lab analysis.
The sheriff’s department said in a statement that the number of profiles was a part of an active investigation.
Nancy Guthrie vanished from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 1 in what investigators believe was a kidnapping. She and her daughter, Today Show host Savannah, are pictured on set in 2020
The FBI has increased the reward in the Nancy Guthrie investigation to $202,500 after an anonymous donation. Digital banners have gone up across several locations advertising FBI tips
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is reportedly instructing his team to conduct polygraph tests as his department continues to search for Nancy Guthrie. The sheriff is pictured here on February 13 during an interview with Reuters
Authorities initially announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to Nancy’s return or the arrest and conviction of her alleged kidnapper.
The reward then doubled on the 12th day of the investigation. The sheriff’s office confirmed Wednesday that an anonymous $100,000 donation has been added, along with an additional $2,500 through 88 Crime – bringing the reward to $202,500.
Attorney and President of Milwaukee Crime Stoppers, Michael Hupy, previously announced that he would be offering $100,000 through his organization.
The sheriff’s department hasn’t confirmed whether Hupy is the ‘anonymous donor’ who put up the additional $100,000.
Milwaukee attorney Michael Hupy, pictured above, said earlier this week that he would be donating to the reward
Reports previously circulated that the sheriff’s department was using lie detector tests on potential suspects, but authorities later clarified that the polygraph tests were ordered for new hires.
Authorities have also obtained DNA evidence at Nancy’s home, which has been sent for lab analysis, according to the sheriff’s office.
Nancy was first reported missing after she failed to show up for a weekly virtual church service at her friend’s house.
Her family reported her missing, and authorities arrived at her Tucson home to find a disturbing scene.
The elderly woman was nowhere to be found, her front camera was disconnected, and there was blood on her front door.
It took the FBI 10 days to recover the lost surveillance footage, which later revealed that a masked individual had disabled the front camera.
The FBI said the suspect was believed to be male, approximately 5’9”-5’10” tall, of average build, and carrying a black backpack.
Sheriff Chris Nanos said on Tuesday that the suspect appeared to be wearing a ring under his black gloves.
‘I look at the same photo you look at and I get it, I see it,’ he told NBC News.
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Authorities have been met with many challenges in the case, including Nancy’s age and health, the secluded area where she was allegedly taken, and increased media attention. Nancy and Savannah are pictured here in 2023 on the set of the Today Show
‘I’m going to give that to my team. They’ll look at that. They’ll analyze it and we’ll see. Maybe, maybe it is,’ Nanos added.
TMZ and two local Arizona news stations have received several ransom notes allegedly from Nancy’s captors.
The news outlets have reported that the notes demanded millions in Bitcoin. TMZ shared on Wednesday that they received another demand, calling the note ‘sophisticated,’ adding it ‘puts the media right in the middle of it.’
The letter reportedly demanded $6 million in a different form of cryptocurrency and ‘graphically describes the consequences if the ransom isn’t paid,’ the outlet stated.
False hope for a break in the case came on Saturday when a Special Weapons and Tactics team raided a home near Nancy’s residence.
Authorities were also seen searching a grey Range Rover and detained the driver. Multiple individuals were detained and questioned, but no arrests were made.
Another brief glimmer of hope came when law enforcement recovered a glove near Nancy’s property that appeared to match the ones the suspect was wearing in the surveillance video.
However, Sheriff Nanos said the glove yielded no new leads and failed to match the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a national database of DNA profiles of arrestees.
Nancy Guthrie has been missing for 18 days. Several leads have turned up short in law enforcement’s search for her whereabouts. Community members are seen on Wednesday placing flowers and messages of support outside Nancy’s Tucson home
Investigators believe that Nancy was snatched from her home, pictured above, in the early hours of February 1. A doorbell camera was disconnected, but the FBI was able to recover footage of a masked figure approaching the front door of her home the night she disappeared
Sources have also revealed to TMZ that investigators are considering the possibility that Nancy was taken across the border.
The sheriff’s office said in a media release on Wednesday that they’ve received reports of their department working with Mexican authorities and utilizing polygraph tests, but wouldn’t be confirming that information at this time.
Nanos has previously said that the investigation could take years, but authorities wouldn’t stop trying to find answers for the Guthrie family.
When asked whether he still believed Nancy was alive, Nanos said on Tuesday: ‘They ask me, do I have proof of life? I ask them, is there proof of death?’