Nancy Guthrie investigator Chris Nanos breaks silence on hair and DNA samples, fueling suspense over suspect in high‑stakes probe

A significant development has emerged in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84‑year‑old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie. On Thursday, July 30, 2026, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is overseeing the investigation alongside the FBI, spoke at length about forensic evidence collected near Guthrie’s Tucson, Arizona home, where she was abducted in the early hours of February 1, 2026.

Nanos revealed that a hair sample recovered from the scene underwent forensic testing but returned inconclusive results. “It came back with no results,” he told CBS News. The sheriff’s department confirmed the findings were verified in early June, but Thursday marked the first time the information was shared publicly.

DNA evidence under review

With the hair sample yielding no leads, investigators are now focused on a mixed DNA sample retrieved from Guthrie’s home. According to Nanos, the sample contains genetic material from as many as four individuals. He acknowledged that current technology may not yet be capable of fully separating the profiles, but multiple laboratories across the country are working on it, including the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia, and facilities in Kansas, Florida, California, and Arizona.

“My understanding is there are at least five, maybe six, labs across the country that are working on all of this,” Nanos told ABC News. “We have some of the brightest minds in the nation, if not the world, working on this.”

Nanos added that blood and other DNA were also found at the scene, though those samples have not produced results so far. A DNA sample initially sent to a private laboratory in Florida was later forwarded to the FBI’s crime lab in Quantico, but officials have not confirmed whether that sample was the same hair specimen.

“We have a lot of DNA that is being looked at by credible scientists around the country who know and understand what they have in front of them, and they understand the rules they have to play by,” Nanos said, as quoted by CBS News.

Suspects and local connection

Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the evening of January 31, 2026, and reported missing the following morning. Security footage from her home showed a suspect at her front door in the early hours of February 1. Investigators believe she was abducted, and at least two ransom notes were sent in the days after her disappearance.

“Even when a case goes cold, we don’t give up on it,” Nanos said. “We continue to work it. This one’s far from being cold. God forbid this ever takes 50 years, but it could.”

When asked if he believed the suspects could be local to Tucson, Nanos responded, “Absolutely. Do I have evidence of it? No. But let’s look at crime across the country, around the world. By far, 90%, 95% of your criminals are where? Right here locally.”

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