Share and Follow
In Tucson, Arizona, the quest to solve the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie could take a considerable amount of time, as advanced DNA testing techniques are employed. When DNA found on a glove near her home failed to match any profiles in the FBI’s database, experts turned to combining crime scene DNA analysis with data from commercial genealogy databases. This process, however, may take weeks or even months, according to specialists.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, confirmed that DNA collected from Guthrie’s residence, as well as a glove discovered nearby, did not correspond with any entries in the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System. An FBI representative informed Fox News Digital that investigative genetic genealogy is now being utilized in the search for Guthrie.
Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson home in the early hours of February 1, according to previous statements from Nanos. Authorities have confirmed that she did not leave of her own volition and she remains missing.
Jason Pack, a retired FBI special agent, explained to Fox News Digital that investigative genetic genealogy involves the integration of crime scene DNA analysis with searches in publicly accessible genealogy databases, complemented by traditional genealogical research.
As of Monday, February 9, 2026, a member of the Pima County Sheriff’s office continues to maintain a presence outside Nancy Guthrie’s home in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Ty ONeil; Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
The technique is different from CODIS, as that database compares “crime scene DNA against people who have already been arrested or convicted,” he added.
Pack said the investigative genetic genealogy could take several weeks up to several months in a case like this, noting it’s “not a quick database check.”
“Once the DNA profile is built from the glove, a genealogist builds a family tree working outward from partial matches in consumer databases like GEDmatch or FamilyTreeDNA. You are essentially reconstructing someone’s family history from distant cousins and working your way inward until you can identify a common ancestor and then narrow down to a specific individual. The timeline depends on a few variables,” he said.
A member of the Pima County sheriff’s office remains outside of Nancy Guthrie‘s home, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. (Ty ONeil/AP Photo)
Pack said the time it takes to complete investigative genetic genealogy depends on several factors, such as the number of relatives who have submitted consumer DNA tests and how clean a DNA sample is. The less participation in commercial DNA testing by a suspect’s family, Pack says, the more time the process takes.
A spokesperson for Othram, which conducts investigative genetic genealogy, told Fox News Digital that the amount of time needed to find a match depends on several factors, but it could be done in a fairly quick process.
An undated photo of Nancy Guthrie and Savannah Guthrie was provided by NBC in response to the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of the “Today” show host. (Courtesy of NBC)
“It took 48 hours for Kohberger. It took 24 hours to create a profile. Now we’ve created software to do it faster. Genealogy for the Kohberger case was very quick,” the spokesperson said.
The technique was used to catch the Golden State Killer in 2018, who killed at least 13 people and sexually assaulted another 50 women after investigators uploaded DNA found at the crime scene to a genecology database and found a distant cousin. The distant cousin was used to build a family tree, which eventually led investigators to Joseph DeAngelo.
An investigator looks inside a culvert in the neighborhood where Annie Guthrie, whose mother Nancy Guthrie has been missing for more than a week, lives just outside Tucson, Ariz., on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Ty ONeil/AP Photo)
In an emotional video released Sunday, NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie said, “it is never too late to do the right thing”.
“I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope and we still believe. And I wanted to say to whoever has her or knows where she is. It’s never too late. And you’re not lost or alone,” Guthrie said. “We believe in the essential goodness of every human being. And it’s never too late.”
Nancy Guthrie disappearance timeline:Â
Jan. 31, 2026
• Between 9:30–9:45 p.m. – Family drops Nancy off at home
• 9:50 p.m. – Garage door closes (per authorities)
Feb. 1, 2026
• 1:47 a.m. – Doorbell camera disconnects
• 2:12 a.m. – Security camera detects motion
• 2:28 a.m. – Pacemaker disconnects from phone application
• 11:56 a.m. – Family checks on Nancy after she misses weekly church livestream gathering
• 12:03 p.m. — 911 called
• 12:15 p.m. — Sheriff’s deputies arrive at home