Nancy Guthrie case: FBI prepares for 'parallel realities' while awaiting DNA results

TUCSON, Ariz. — As the Nancy Guthrie lawsuit enters week three, investigators and the nationalist are awaiting perchance pivotal DNA results tied to a mitt recovered adjacent the scene.

But according to retired FBI cause Jason Pack, adjacent a large forensic improvement whitethorn not beryllium the metallic slug galore are expecting.

"From the position of an cause who’s sat successful that warfare country waiting connected laboratory results, DNA is 1 of the astir almighty tools we have, but it’s besides 1 of the astir misunderstood by the public," Pack told Fox News Digital.

When investigators await DNA findings connected a cardinal portion of evidence, Pack said they are preparing for what helium described arsenic "three parallel realities."

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A structure has been placed implicit the beforehand entranceway to Nancy Guthrie's location successful Tucson, Arizona, connected Thursday, February 12, 2026. The probe into her disappearance is ongoing. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)

If the DNA matches a known individual, Pack called that "obviously a important investigative development" — but cautioned against jumping to conclusions.

"A lucifer doesn’t automatically adjacent guilt," helium said. "It tells you that person’s biologic worldly came into interaction with that point astatine immoderate point. You inactive request to physique the communicative astir it. When? How? Is determination an guiltless explanation?"

He noted that immoderate competent defence lawyer would instantly scrutinize the concatenation of custody, imaginable contamination and the anticipation of secondary transfer.

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"So a lucifer accelerates your investigation," Pack explained. "It doesn’t adjacent it."

A mismatch, meaning the DNA belongs to idiosyncratic not presently connected investigators’ radar, tin beryllium conscionable arsenic meaningful, helium explained.

"Now you’ve perchance identified an chartless subject. You’re moving it done CODIS, you’re looking astatine familial DNA possibilities, you’re expanding your beingness of suspects," Pack said.

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Police portion went up astir Nancy Guthrie's location successful Arizona connected Wednesday, Feb. 4. Officials accidental they are treating the location arsenic a transgression scene. (Fox News Channel)

Importantly, helium noted, that improvement wouldn’t needfully dismantle an existing investigative theory.

"It doesn’t mean your existent mentation is wrong. It means you person a caller thread to pull."

The 3rd anticipation — inconclusive oregon degraded results — is often the astir misunderstood outcome, Pack said.

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Environmental exposure, substance profiles, the worldly of the mitt itself and low-copy-number DNA tin each complicate testing, helium added. 

"An inconclusive uncovering doesn’t exonerate anyone, and it doesn’t implicate anyone," Pack said. "It simply means that peculiar portion of grounds can’t talk arsenic loudly arsenic you’d hoped."

Pack cautioned against allowing a azygous portion of grounds to predominate nationalist expectations.

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"I’ve worked investigations wherever 1 portion of grounds became the public’s obsession, and it created tremendous unit that didn’t service the case," helium said.

While a mitt recovered astatine oregon adjacent a country is significant, helium noted specified items tin beryllium transient.

"Gloves get dropped, discarded, blown around," Pack said. "The questions of erstwhile it was deposited and whether it’s really connected to the transgression are conscionable arsenic important arsenic whose DNA is connected it."

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FBI agents canvass homes adjacent Nancy Guthrie's location successful Tucson, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. Guthrie was past seen connected Saturday nighttime arsenic an probe into her disappearance continues. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)

Seasoned investigators, helium added, ne'er trust connected 1 forensic effect alone.

"DNA is 1 lane connected a multi-lane highway," Pack said, pointing to integer forensics, compartment operation data, witnesser canvasses, fiscal records, surveillance footage and behavioral investigation arsenic parallel investigative tracks.

"The champion cases are built connected convergence — erstwhile aggregate autarkic lines of grounds constituent successful the aforesaid direction," helium said. "You ne'er privation to beryllium successful a presumption wherever your full lawsuit rises oregon falls connected a azygous laboratory result."

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An undated photograph of Nancy Guthrie was provided by NBC successful effect to the disappearance of the 84-year-old parent of "Today" amusement host, Savannah Guthrie. (Courtesy of NBC)

As anticipation builds astir the pending DNA findings, Pack offered a last enactment of restraint.

"While these DNA results whitethorn beryllium the astir anticipated development, they shouldn’t beryllium viewed arsenic the astir determinative one, careless of what they show."

Nancy Guthrie disappearance timeline:

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January 31, 2026

Between 9:30–9:45 p.m. — Family drops Nancy disconnected astatine home

9:50 p.m. — Garage doorway closes (per authorities)

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February 1, 2026

1:47 a.m. — Doorbell camera disconnects

2:12 a.m. — Security camera detects motion

2:28 a.m. — Pacemaker disconnects from telephone application

11:56 a.m. — Family checks connected Nancy aft she misses play religion livestream gathering

12:03 p.m. — 911 called

12:15 p.m. — Sheriff’s deputies get astatine home

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].