DNA Samples Sent to FBI as Search for Nancy Guthrie Enters Fourth Month

Key facts

• Nancy Guthrie, 84, was abducted from her Catalina Foothills home on February 1, 2026.
• Her doorbell camera disconnected at 1:47 a.m.; a masked suspect was seen at her front door.
• Her pacemaker app disconnected from her phone at 2:28 a.m.
• Savannah Guthrie returned to 'Today' after a two-month absence.
• A private lab in Florida sent crime scene DNA samples to the FBI.
• A masked thief was caught on Ring camera stealing potted cacti in the neighborhood on May 6.
• Criminal profilers suggest the kidnapper may have been eliminated by a 'boss' to cover tracks.

A Night Disrupted: The Final Hours Before Disappearance

Nancy Guthrie was driven home from dinner at the home of her other daughter, Annie Guthrie, and her husband, Tommaso Cioni, arriving just before 10 p.m. on January 31. Within hours, her home security system began to fail. At 1:47 a.m. on February 1, her doorbell camera disconnected. Authorities later recovered video showing a masked, armed suspect at her front door. At 2:12 a.m., home security software detected a person in front of one of her cameras, but investigators could not obtain the video. Sixteen minutes later, her pacemaker app disconnected from her phone. The sequence suggests a deliberate disabling of monitoring devices.

Evidence of a Struggle: Blood and a Disabled Camera

Savannah Guthrie has revealed that the back door of her mother's home was propped open, blood was found on the doorstep, and the Ring camera was disabled. Retired FBI supervisory agent James Gagliano noted that the blood pattern suggests a single abductor. The Pima County Sheriff's Department continues to lead the investigation, stating it 'remains active and ongoing.' A spokesperson urged the public: 'Anyone with information related to the Nancy Guthrie case is encouraged to come forward. Please contact 88-CRIME or the FBI tip line at 1-800-225-5324.' The request came days after a private lab in Florida sent crime scene DNA samples to the FBI for advanced testing, which experts say could take weeks or months.

The FBI's Role and a Dispute Over Evidence

The FBI finally received a hair sample from the crime scene last month, 11 weeks into the investigation, after it was sent to a Florida forensics lab with no results. Sources have indicated that the Pima County Sheriff initially blocked the FBI from key evidence, a point of tension in the case. The sheriff's department now says it 'continues to work closely with the FBI as investigators follow up on leads, review information, and pursue the facts.' Savannah Guthrie, who returned to 'Today' after a two-month absence, has expressed profound guilt, fearing her fame may have motivated the abduction. She believes the attack was connected to her public profile.

Neighborhood Unease: A Masked Thief and Heightened Security

On Wednesday night, 90 days after Nancy Guthrie vanished, a Ring camera in the Catalina Foothills captured a masked person in gloves stealing potted cacti from a private driveway. The video shows a gray Ford F-150 pulling into the driveway just before 11 p.m. A man wearing gloves, a face mask, and a baseball cap gets out, walks toward the front of the home, and loads several potted cacti into the truck. The homeowner posted the video to the Ring app, where it quickly circulated. Neighbor Jeff Lamie said: 'It is someone walking on your property late at night, uninvited, it might be a small crime but committing a crime, and it is disturbing.' The Pima County Sheriff's Department stated it had not been advised of similar activity but would 'do some research and keep you posted.' Law enforcement presence in the neighborhood has remained heightened.

A Chilling Theory: The Kidnapper May Have Been Killed

In an upcoming episode of a NewsNation program hosted by journalist Brian Entin, criminal profilers Dr. Ann Burgess, Dr. Gary Brocato, and Dr. Casey Jordan discuss whether the man captured on Nancy Guthrie's camera acted alone or as part of an organized effort. Dr. Burgess proposed a new theory: 'I just had a thought. That person [on Nancy’s stoop] may have been eliminated.' She suggested the kidnapper could have been killed by a 'boss' to cover tracks. Dr. Burgess added: 'It was well-planned. They got away with it. And they pulled a type of case that we’ve never seen before, as far as we know.' The theory underscores the complexity of the investigation as it enters its fourth month.

Open Questions and the Search Ahead

Despite the passage of three months, key questions remain unanswered. The Pima County Sheriff's Department has renewed its plea for information, emphasizing that the search remains active. The FBI's analysis of DNA evidence could provide a breakthrough, but experts caution that results may take weeks or months. The case has drawn national attention, with Savannah Guthrie's return to television marking a public face of the family's ordeal. The sheriff's department continues to ask residents to submit relevant video footage. As the investigation grinds on, the community remains watchful, with Lamie's words echoing: 'We have to be watchful, be aware of our homes but also of our neighbors.'

The bottom line

• Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home on February 1, 2026, with evidence of a struggle and disabled security systems.
• DNA samples have been sent to the FBI for advanced testing, but results may take months.
• A masked thief stealing cacti in the neighborhood highlights ongoing security concerns.
• Criminal profilers theorize the kidnapper may have been killed by an organizer to cover up the crime.
• Savannah Guthrie has returned to work but struggles with guilt over her mother's disappearance.
• The Pima County Sheriff's Department and FBI continue to investigate, urging public tips.