DNA Evidence Found at Nancy Guthrie's Home Could Crack Missing Person Case

Genetic genealogy expert says DNA not linked to Guthrie or her contacts is a 'more significant' find

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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An expert on genetic genealogy has said that DNA collected from Nancy Guthrie's property in Tucson, Arizona will help law enforcement find the person responsible for the 84-year-old's disappearance. CeCe Moore, the chief genetic genealogist at Parabon Nanolabs, said investigators can use the DNA that was recovered in a process called Investigative Genetic Genealogy to identify possible suspects.

Why it matters

The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has been a high-profile missing person case in Tucson. The discovery of DNA evidence not linked to Guthrie or her known contacts could be a major breakthrough in the investigation, potentially leading to the identification of a suspect.

The details

Pima County Sheriff's Department said investigators had collected DNA that does not belong to Guthrie or people known to have close contact with her from her home and are working to identify who it belongs to. Moore said this DNA is 'more significant' than the DNA recovered from a glove about 2 miles from Guthrie's property, which the FBI is also analyzing. Law enforcement believes the glove may have been worn by a masked person outside Guthrie's front door on the night she vanished.

  • Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home on January 31, 2026.
  • Guthrie was reported missing the following day on February 1, 2026.

The players

CeCe Moore

The chief genetic genealogist at Parabon Nanolabs who says the DNA evidence from Guthrie's home is 'more significant' than the glove found nearby.

Pima County Sheriff's Department

The law enforcement agency investigating Guthrie's disappearance and collecting DNA evidence from her home.

FBI

The federal agency analyzing DNA evidence, including a glove found about 2 miles from Guthrie's property.

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What they’re saying

“I've been waiting for that to happen, just hoping that there would be DNA found that was not tied to any of the known individuals from the home because that will solve the case if nothing else does.”

— CeCe Moore, Chief Genetic Genealogist, Parabon Nanolabs (NewsNation's Brian Entin Investigates podcast)

“It's just a matter of time then. If they have that DNA, that person who left that DNA will be identified.”

— CeCe Moore, Chief Genetic Genealogist, Parabon Nanolabs (NewsNation's Brian Entin Investigates podcast)

What’s next

The Pima County Sheriff's Department is working to identify the owner of the DNA found at Guthrie's home, which could be a major breakthrough in the case.

The takeaway

The discovery of DNA evidence not linked to Guthrie or her known contacts at her home is a significant development in the investigation into her disappearance. Genetic genealogy could help law enforcement identify a potential suspect and bring closure to this high-profile missing person case.