New Video, DNA Dead‑End, and $100,000 Rewards Drive Guthrie Kidnapping Probe

Updated 2026-02-20 09:56:37+00:00 (6 articles)

Image: BBC

Nancy Guthrie, mother of news anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been missing since 1 February (Getty Images) Source Full size
Image: AP

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Image: AP

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New Doorbell Footage Identifies Masked Suspect Near Guthrie Residence The February 10 Nest doorbell video released by investigators shows a ski‑masked man covering the camera with a gloved hand and shrubbery, estimated at 5 ft 9 in–5 ft 10 in with an average build; he carries a black Ozark Trail 25‑liter backpack and an unusual waist‑holster gun placement, matching gloves later found two miles from the home [1][3][4].

DNA Tests Produce No CODIS Matches, Prompting Genealogy Effort Glove DNA and additional samples collected from the scene returned zero hits in the FBI’s CODIS database, confirming the material does not correspond to any of the 19 million offender profiles [1][3][4]. Sheriff Chris Nanos announced the sheriff’s office will submit the DNA to investigative genetic genealogy services such as GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA, a tactic highlighted by CNN as increasingly central after traditional databases failed [2].

Rewards Doubled to $100,000 Each, Private Donor Adds Matching Prize Following the new evidence, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department each increased their reward to $100,000, and a private benefactor announced an additional $100,000 for information leading to the captors’ arrest [1][3].

Blood on Porch Confirmed as Guthrie’s, Public Appeals Intensify Forensic testing verified that blood found on the porch floor belongs to 84‑year‑old Nancy Guthrie, whose health is fragile; Savannah Guthrie posted a video urging the kidnapper to surrender, echoing the sheriff’s message that her children and relatives are victims, not suspects [3][4].

BlueFly Scanner Deployed to Track Guthrie’s Pacemaker Signal Investigators are using Parsons Corp.’s lightweight BlueFly handheld device, capable of detecting wearable electronics up to 200 m, in hopes of locating the signal from Guthrie’s implanted heart pacemaker, a technique previously employed in Arizona searches [4].

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Timeline

Nov 1980 – Two victims, 23‑year‑old Lynn Vest and her 2½‑year‑old cousin Jeremy Pickens, are strangled and suffocated in Columbus, Ohio, leaving a cold case that will later be solved through DNA genealogy [6].

Apr 1, 1987 – Rhonda Fisher’s body is found near Sedalia, Colorado; the murder remains unsolved for nearly four decades until modern DNA techniques finally link the crime to serial killer Vincent Groves [4].

Dec 3, 2025 – Investigators extract a viable DNA profile from the 1987 paper bags covering Fisher’s hands and match it to Vincent Groves, confirming his involvement and demonstrating the power of contemporary forensic tools [4].

Jan 24, 2026 – Hair samples preserved from the 1980 Ohio murders yield a genetic genealogy match to Charles Elliott; authorities announce plans to exhume his remains to confirm the link, bringing closure to the victims’ families [6].

Feb 1‑16, 2026 – Public tips to the Guthrie case surge 54 % over the same period last year, reaching 28,000 calls as Savannah Guthrie urges anyone with information to come forward, saying “it is never too late to do the right thing” [5].

Feb 10, 2026 – Police release grainy Nest doorbell footage showing a ski‑masked man covering the camera with a gloved hand and shrubbery, estimated at 5 ft 9‑10 in with an average build, and wearing a black Ozark Trail backpack and an unusual waist‑holster [3].

Feb 17, 2026 – DNA from a glove recovered two miles from Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home is entered into CODIS and returns no matches, prompting investigators to double the FBI reward to $100,000 and Savannah Guthrie to post a video stating, “We believe in the essential goodness of every human being” [1][5].

Feb 18, 2026 – Sheriff Chris Nanos confirms the department will submit the glove DNA and other evidence to additional investigative genetic‑genealogy databases, while also deploying a BlueFly handheld scanner to locate Guthrie’s pacemaker signal [5].

Feb 19, 2026 – The Pima County Sheriff’s Office officially adopts investigative genetic genealogy after CODIS dead‑ends; DNA‑expert CeCe Moore warns the Guthrie family’s push for broader database access could spark “a knock‑down, drag‑out fight” unless a warrant compels it [2].

Feb 20, 2026 – Authorities announce new $100,000 rewards from a private donor and law‑enforcement, detail ransom‑note claims involving Bitcoin and an Apple Watch, and note a suspect was charged for sending a false threat, though the FBI finds no link to the disappearance [3].

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