FBI Analyzing DNA from Nancy Guthrie’s Home with Advanced Technology

Savannah Guthrie’s mom Nancy Guthrie has been missing since February, but is the FBI inching closer to solving the case?

Sources told ABC that the FBI is investigating DNA evidence from Nancy’s home, which they believe could advance the case.

According to sources, the FBI is using advanced technology to analyze the DNA sample, which could help identify the kidnapping suspect. 

An FBI official said, “There is no new DNA evidence in the Nancy Guthrie case. The FBI requested this material over two months ago. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office sent it to a private lab in Florida. Eleven weeks later, that lab has now transferred an original hair sample to the FBI laboratory for testing. We remain fully committed to this investigation.”

A month ago, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department noted that the DNA found in the home was “mixed,” meaning it included genetic material from more than one person.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos explained, “We listen to our lab, and our lab tells us that there’s challenges with it.” He said it could take “weeks, months, or maybe a year” to get the results.

The “Today” show spoke with Arizona State University forensic science professor April Stonehouse, who is an expert in mixed DNA, to find out more. Stonehouse is not involved in Nancy’s investigation.

What types of challenges might the lab be facing? Stonehouse said, “I think that means that there are potentially items of evidence that maybe don’t have a lot of DNA on them to begin with.”

She added that it could also mean that the mixture is mostly DNA from just one person.

“Let’s say 90 percent of the DNA comes from the victim and only 10 percent is from the suspect,” she said. “What they can potentially do is go back and rerun that sample and add more DNA hoping to bring up the signal from the suspect’s profile.”