TUCSON, AZ — The FBI says a glove containing DNA was found about two miles from “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother and appears to match those worn by a masked person outside her front door in Tucson the night she vanished.
The glove, found in a field near the side of the road, was sent off for DNA testing. The FBI said in a statement Sunday that it received preliminary results Saturday and is awaiting official confirmation.
“We can compare the DNA profiles from the known offenders or arrestees to any unknown forensic profiles to see if we can get a link between those people," said forensic DNA expert Matt Quartaro. "The hardest part of any criminal case is finding the evidence to test and making sense whatever is found DNA profile wise and other evidence.”
Later Sunday, Savannah Guthrie released a new video calling for her mother's return.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her Arizona home on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities say her blood was found on the front porch. Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines for paying have passed.
Approximately 16 gloves were found in various spots near the house, most of which were searchers’ gloves that had been discarded, the FBI said.
The discovery was revealed days after investigators had released surveillance videos of the masked person outside Guthrie’s front door. A porch camera recorded video of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, jacket and gloves.
On Thursday, the FBI called the person a suspect. It described him as a man about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a medium build. The agency said he was carrying a 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack.
Authorities have expressed concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health because she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.
