Where things stand
• Glove analysis: A glove found near Nancy Guthrie’s home appears to match the one worn by a suspect seen in her home’s doorbell camera footage, according to the FBI. DNA from the glove is being analyzed in an attempt to identify a suspect as the search stretches into a third week.
• Another appeal: “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie posted another video on social media, saying her family still has hope for her mother’s return. “It is never too late to do the right thing,” she said.
• No leading theory: Investigators have still not identified a leading motive for her February 1 disappearance from her Arizona home, with authorities looking at all possible options, a source told CNN.
What we know about the DNA analysis of the glove found near Guthrie's home
The FBI says DNA from a glove recovered near Nancy Guthrie’s home, which appears to visually match gloves worn by a suspect seen on doorbell camera footage at the house, is being analyzed to determine the identity of a possible suspect.
Any DNA evidence will be run through CODIS, the FBI-managed Combined DNA Index System, a national database that holds more than 19 million offender profiles, the agency said.
Authorities will also likely submit the evidence to third-party DNA mapping services available to the public. Even if the suspect has never used one of these services, a family member might have, which can provide clues to the suspect’s identity through family DNA profiling.
This approach was used by police in the case of Bryan Kohberger and was critical evidence in his conviction for killing four Idaho college students.
How quickly answers come will depend on the type and quality of the sample, Jeffrey Halstead, former Fort Worth police chief, told CNN.
The urgency of the case may allow officials to expedite testing and retrieve results faster than usual.
“It could be anywhere between 24 and 48 hours,” Halstead said.
While the strength of the findings will depend on the type of DNA recovered — whether full or touch DNA — Halstead said even smaller samples can be significant if they tie directly to the glove and, in turn, to the person captured on video outside Guthrie’s home.
CNN’s Lex Harvey, Josh Campbell, Alaa Elassar and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed to this report
The 3 biggest challenges in the Guthrie case
As the search for Nancy Guthrie enters its third week, CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller has laid out what he believes are the three biggest challenges facing investigators.
1. The safety of the victim. Guthrie is 84 years old, has a pacemaker, and needs daily medication, according to authorities and her family. “The victim comes first,” Miller said. “Right now, when it comes to how the victim is, where the victim is, and what condition the victim is in, is a blind spot for (investigators).”
2. Investigators are buried in leads. The tens of thousands of tips generated in the case is both good and bad for law enforcement. But wading through the influx takes time. “As we’ve learned time and again, sometimes it is the more obscure lead that may end up further down in the pile that has the answer in it,” Miller said. “The only way to get there is to go through them as fast and thoroughly as possible.”
3. Investigators are operating in a fishbowl. The high-profile nature of the kidnapping of “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother has brought an enormous amount of scrutiny and media attention, which makes it difficult for authorities to hold back information. “One of the risks to an investigation like this is – much of it has to be done behind the curtain, (and) it’s important that certain things don’t leak out,” Miller said.
Read more about the challenges.
Listen to the latest plea from “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.
Nancy Guthrie’s neighbor says community is “heartbroken” about her disappearance
Marla Handler, one of Nancy Guthrie’s neighbors, said members of their Catalina Foothills community are “heartbroken” about the 84-year-old’s disappearance.
Handler said her normally peaceful neighborhood has become the focus of a “national manhunt,” with helicopters and drones constantly flying above.
Community members have been upgrading their security systems and communicating with each other more frequently in the wake of Guthrie’s apparent kidnapping, she said.
“Neighbors are texting and emailing, updating each other quickly if we see anything unusual occur. There’s been more neighborhood watch efforts, more people actively observing,” she said.
Handler also criticized true crime streamers that have descended on the area, saying that a lot of people “are trying to monopolize and financially gain” from the disappearance.
Here's what to know about CODIS, the DNA database that helps the FBI solve crimes
DNA from gloves found near Nancy Guthrie’s home will be run through CODIS, the Combined DNA Index System, a national database managed by the FBI, the agency said.
The database stores DNA profiles from offenders and crime scenes to assist criminal investigations and the identification of missing persons.
A CODIS hit occurs when DNA from a crime scene matches that from another crime scene or a known offender – potentially leading to an investigative breakthrough.
The database holds over 19 million offender profiles, has produced more than 781,492 hits and has assisted in more than 758,449 investigations since November 2025, according to FBI data.
Why Nancy Guthrie's neighbors are buying yellow flowers
Following the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the Tucson community has shown their support by purchasing yellow flowers, seen as a symbol of hope, from local flower shops.
Following the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie the Tucson community has shown their support by purchasing yellow flowers, a symbol of hope, from local flower shops.
Glove could be the most pivotal development in Guthrie case in days. Here’s what we know
A glove found near Nancy Guthrie’s home appears to match the one worn by a suspect seen in doorbell camera footage from the morning the 84-year-old disappeared, according to the FBI.
Authorities are testing the DNA from the glove and running it through an FBI national database — a process which the FBI said could take about 24 hours.
Here’s what we know about the latest clue:
- The glove was found around 2 miles from Guthrie’s home in a field near the side of the road, the FBI said. Preliminary findings from a private lab in Florida were received and the FBI said it is “awaiting quality control and official confirmation” of the results before running it through its unique database. It is not the same glove previously photographed by the New York Post.
- How quickly answers come will depend on the type and quality of the DNA sample recovered — whether full or touch DNA, a former police chief told CNN. “Full DNA” refers to types like blood and saliva, whereas “trace DNA” refers to genetic material left behind by skin. Even a small sample of DNA could be analyzed and used to link a potential suspect to the crime scene, he said.
- Authorities would also likely be submitting the evidence to third-party DNA mapping services offered to the general public, as part of a burgeoning field known as investigative genetic genealogy. Even if a suspect has never used one of these services, a family member might have, providing clues to the suspect’s identity.
- The glove is one of “approximately 16” that investigators found near Guthrie’s home, most of which the FBI said belonged to searchers who discarded them while working in the area. Investigators are working to forensically analyze multiple pieces of evidence, including the gloves.
- Separately, forensic teams uncovered DNA at Guthrie’s home which authorities said earlier does not match her or anyone in her immediate circle. It’s not clear if this DNA is a match for the DNA found on the glove.
Learn more about the FBI analysis process.
CNN’s Josh Campbell and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed reporting.
Source says no leading theory in Guthrie disappearance as FBI tests DNA. Here's the latest
As the search for Nancy Guthrie stretches into its third week, investigators still have no leading theory about what happened to her, a source told CNN.
Authorities are continuing to look at all options, including a burglary gone wrong, a targeted abduction based on Guthrie’s famous daughter, the “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie, or other possibilities, the source said.
In what may be the most promising lead in days, authorities are testing the DNA found on a glove recovered near Guthrie’s home, which appears to match the one worn by the masked suspect shown in doorbell camera footage on the day of her disappearance.
Here are the latest developments:
- Savannah issues new plea: She said her family still has hope in a new video message posted to Instagram, in which she told her mother’s apparent kidnapper “it is never too late to do the right thing.”
- New DNA evidence: The FBI said it could take about 24 hours to get DNA results from a glove recovered about 2 miles from Guthrie’s home that appears to visually match those worn by the suspect seen on doorbell camera footage. Separately, authorities said they also discovered DNA inside Guthrie’s home that doesn’t match her or anyone in her inner circle.
- Suspect’s profile: The FBI described the masked person captured outside Guthrie’s home on the day she disappeared as a 5’9”-5’10” male with an average build, wearing an Ozark Trail Hiker backpack. Authorities have not publicly named any suspect in the case.
- Another possible clue: As the FBI tests the glove for DNA, the backpack could lead to another provide another breakthrough, analysts say, as authorities check retailers in the state selling the same brand.
- Law enforcement activity: Officers converged on two locations near Guthrie’s home Friday, but did not make any arrests. Law enforcement questioned one man but released him, believing him not to be the kidnapper, a law enforcement official said. Investigators are sifting through more than 30,000 tips that they’ve received since the case began.
- Community grief: Tucson residents continue to fill the growing tribute outside Guthrie’s home with yellow flowers, candles, notes and small tokens as they hold out hope for her safe return.
- Streamers in the spotlight: True‑crime streamers have descended on Arizona to broadcast near Guthrie’s home. While they argue their presence keeps attention on the case, investigators say some of the aggressive, rumor‑driven coverage has been unhelpful.
CNN’s Josh Campbell, Lauren Mascarenhas, Alaa Elassar, Ed Lavandera and Amber Sumpter contributed reporting.
Analysis: What new glove evidence could mean for the Guthrie case
The FBI said investigators have located a glove near Nancy Guthrie’s home that appears to visually match the gloves worn by a suspect seen on doorbell camera video at the home.
The FBI said DNA from the recovered glove is being analyzed to determine the identity of a possible suspect.
A first step for investigators when obtaining DNA evidence is to run it through criminal databases to determine if it matches a known criminal.
As part of a burgeoning field known as investigative genetic genealogy, authorities would likely also submit the evidence to third-party DNA-mapping services offered to the general public. Even if the suspect has never used these services, a family member might have, which can provide clues to the suspect’s identity based on the unique nature of family DNA profiling.
Familial DNA was a critical tool used by police in the case of Bryan Kohberger, who was convicted of killing four Idaho college students.
Beyond DNA testing, if the recovered glove is determined to belong to the suspect seen at Guthrie’s home, the location where it was found could be the most important clue yet, suggesting his route of travel after her suspected abduction.
