In another setback for the Nancy Guthrie kidnap probe, DNA on a glove found in the first weeks of the investigation turned out to belong to a restaurant worker and is unrelated to her masked abductor, officials said.
The news came as Savannah Guthrie, one of Nancy’s daughters and co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” show, on Thursday made an off-screen visit to the New York Studios to thank co-workers for their support since her mother’s kidnapping on Feb. 1.
The “Today” show said Guthrie plans to return to the air at some point but, the show said in a news statement, “remains focused right now supporting her family and working to help bring Nancy home.”
As the investigation enters its second month, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, speaking to NBC, said: “There’s so much that everybody wants to know, but I would be very neglectful, irresponsible as a police, law enforcement leader, to share that with everybody.”
Thousands of additional tips have poured into the Pima County Sheriff’s Department since last week, when Savannah Guthrie announced a $1-million reward for information that leads to the return of her mother.
Officials insist the investigation is still in full force and that they have some solid clues. The Sheriff’s Department announced that it now has a dedicated team from its homicide unit working with the FBI on the case. Nanos told NBC News that he and his team believe Guthrie is still alive and are pursuing thousands of leads.
Drops of the 84-year-old grandmother’s blood were on the doorstep of her home. Her suspected abductor snatched the front-door Nest camera Feb. 1, but not before it captured the ski-masked armed man with a backpack lurking on the porch and trying to cover the lens with his gloved hand. More than a dozen gloves have since been recovered in the surrounding community. But the one glove, authorities say, that matched the one worn by the person in the video turned out to be unrelated and from a restaurant worker nearby.
There have been no DNA matches with known criminals in the federal database.
Ransom notes came after the Feb. 1 kidnapping, but not with proof that Guthrie was alive. Locals were detained and quickly released as investigative leads dried up.
Nanos said the department is examining video from area homes of a car driving around the time of the abduction, but no vehicles have been linked to the crime at this point.
A backpack carried by the masked man at Nancy Guthrie’s door may not have been bought at Walmart, as originally believed, but may have been purchased on a secondary market such as EBay, Nanos said.
On Monday, Savannah, her sister, Annie, and Annie’s husband, Tommaso, were also seen placing flowers and a card at a growing tribute outside their mother’s home in the Tucson suburbs.
The handwritten message on their card read: “Though we are surrounded by so much darkness and uncertainty, our love burns bright. We love you Mommy. We miss you so much.”
Savannah also shared a photo on Instagram of yellow flowers from the growing memorial with remembrances by neighbors.
