DNA Test Clears Owner of Key Evidence in Nancy Guthrie Investigation

Glove found near Tucson woman's home linked to unrelated restaurant worker, complicating search for suspect

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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DNA testing has ruled out a glove found near Nancy Guthrie's Tucson home as a lead in her disappearance, linking it instead to an unrelated restaurant worker. The glove had initially been treated as a promising piece of physical evidence, as its design matched what a masked intruder was seen wearing on security footage at Guthrie's home. However, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has now confirmed the glove belongs to a person working at a restaurant near where it was discovered, and is not connected to Guthrie's case.

Why it matters

The development is a setback for investigators, who had hoped the glove could help identify the suspect seen on Guthrie's home security footage. With the glove ruled out, detectives are now left with a mix of digital clues, laboratory work, and public appeals, but no clear suspect. The case has gripped the local community and drawn national attention, underscoring the challenges law enforcement can face in solving high-profile missing persons cases.

The details

The glove was found during the wide search that followed Guthrie's disappearance from her Tucson property on February 1. Deputies and federal agents have spent weeks combing the surrounding desert and suburban streets, following up tips and reviewing hours of video after Nest doorbell footage released on February 10 showed an unidentified intruder on her property. At first, the glove seemed to fit the emerging picture, as its design was similar to what the masked man appeared to be wearing. However, DNA analysis has now linked the glove to a person working at a restaurant near where it was discovered, ruling out any connection to Guthrie's case.

  • Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home in the early hours of February 1, 2026.
  • The glove was found on February 15, 2026, about two miles from Guthrie's residence.
  • On March 4, 2026, the Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed the glove belonged to a restaurant worker unrelated to the investigation.

The players

Nancy Guthrie

An 84-year-old woman who vanished from her Tucson home in the early hours of February 1, 2026.

Chris Nanos

The Pima County Sheriff, who publicly ruled out the glove as evidence in the Guthrie investigation.

Pima County Sheriff's Department

The law enforcement agency leading the investigation into Guthrie's disappearance.

FBI

The federal agency assisting the Pima County Sheriff's Department with the investigation.

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What they’re saying

“We knew that at that time, we believed wholeheartedly that those gloves belonged to a restaurant and guess what? The owner of the glove, we found working at a restaurant across the street. It has nothing to do with the case.”

— Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (KVOA)

What’s next

Investigators say other gloves are still undergoing testing at a laboratory in Florida, but the mixed DNA profiles are proving challenging to interpret. Until there is a confirmed match or a formal announcement pointing to a suspect, the case remains unsettled.

The takeaway

The cleared glove owner underlines the challenges law enforcement can face in high-profile missing persons cases, where evidence can generate headlines and a detailed timeline, but still leave the central question unanswered. The investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance continues, with detectives relying on a mix of digital clues, laboratory work, and public appeals to try and identify a suspect.