After several days without a public briefing, investigators offered carefully worded updates in the Nancy Guthrie case. The statements were measured — but the implications are notable.
Authorities did not announce a suspect or a breakthrough. However, newly disclosed details show that forensic testing and evidence review remain active as the search continues.
Officials have confirmed the following details, as new developments continue to emerge alongside those updates.
Residents gather at a tribute site outside Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home during the ongoing search on February 12, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
How Forensic Testing Is Moving the Case Forward
According to The New York Times, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said authorities recovered DNA evidence from Nancy’s residence. Officials added that the genetic material did not match anyone known to have had regular contact with her.
The sheriff noted that investigators also gathered DNA samples from relatives and individuals who had worked at the home.
Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos, speaks to the media in Tucson, Arizona on February 3, 2026. | Source: Getty Images
In addition, a laboratory is analyzing gloves discovered roughly two miles from Nancy’s property.
However, Nanos said there is “no way” to determine whether they are the same gloves captured in doorbell footage recorded on February 1, 2026.
As the search enters its third week, Nanos said about 400 people are working the case and that investigators are still “looking hard.”
He added, “Maybe it’s an hour from now. Maybe it’s weeks or months or years from now. But we won’t quit. We’re going to find Nancy. We’re going to find this guy.”
Pima County Sheriff’s Office deputy stands outside Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home on February 8, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
While officials have not disclosed whose DNA was recovered, experts say investigators have additional avenues to explore.
How the Unmatched DNA Could Still Lead to a Breakthrough
As reported by CNN, authorities could turn to genetic genealogy if traditional database comparisons fail to produce a match.
This method allows law enforcement to compare an unknown DNA profile with profiles voluntarily submitted to genealogy databases, helping analysts identify possible relatives and build family trees that may narrow down potential identities.
Investigators walk the grounds outside Nancy Guthrie’s home during the ongoing investigation on February 12, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
Former FBI assistant director Frank Figliuzzi said the sample was likely already checked against national criminal databases and individuals who had lawful access to the home.
If those searches yielded no results, investigators could expand their efforts into private sector databases to look for familial connections.
Investigators remove equipment from a vehicle outside Nancy Guthrie’s residence as the investigation continues on February 12, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
Bryanna Fox, a former FBI agent, added that even if the DNA does not immediately identify a suspect, it could still provide a meaningful investigative lead, noting that similar approaches have led to breakthroughs in other complex cases.
FBI personnel search desert terrain near Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home on February 11, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
While investigators focus on the lab results, another element of the case is capturing public interest.
How Much of the Suspect’s Face Can Be Seen
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) forensic artist Lois Gibson released a maskless sketch of a possible suspect using surveillance images from the case.
In her Facebook post, she explained that only certain facial features — specifically the eyes and parts of the lips and mustache — could be interpreted with some confidence because the rest of the face had been covered by a ski mask in the original footage.
But analysts reviewing the footage believe one small detail may carry outsized significance.
Why the Mask in the Doorbell Footage Is Raising Questions
According to CNN, former police detective Mike McCutcheon said the mask seen in the doorbell footage may represent a significant mistake. He noted that although the individual appeared to be wearing a face covering, the mouth was not fully concealed.
He explained that in a potential struggle inside the home, an uncovered mouth could allow biological material to be left behind through saliva, blood, coughing, or other contact.
Front doorway of Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home during the ongoing investigation on February 12, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
Referencing the forensic principle that every contact leaves a trace, he said someone trying to avoid identification would typically cover that area to limit the risk of leaving DNA evidence.
“So, yes, they’re wearing a mask, but having that mouth open, I think, is an error. I do think that that is an error,” he said.
As investigators continue their work, Nancy’s family is also speaking directly to the public.
A New Video Plea
In a recent video shared on Instagram, “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie marked two weeks since her mother’s disappearance and said the family still has hope.
Addressing whoever may have information, she said:
“I wanted to say to whoever has her or knows where she is, that it’s never too late. And you’re not lost or alone. And it is never too late to do the right thing. And we are here. We believe. And we believe in the essential goodness of every human being. And it’s never too late.”
The renewed focus on forensic testing comes after previously released surveillance footage ignited widespread public debate and online speculation.
On February 10, FBI Director Kash Patel shared images and a video pulled from Nancy’s porch camera, capturing a masked figure at her front door the morning she vanished.
The stills were recovered after days of technical work, but what they appear to show has only deepened the mystery. As the footage spread online, attention quickly shifted to one unexpected detail.
Recovered Footage Raises Questions
In a statement posted on social media, Patel announced what he called “New images in the search for Nancy Guthrie,” explaining that federal agents and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) had worked for eight days with private sector partners to retrieve lost or corrupted data.
The FBI director explained that investigators retrieved the video from leftover data within backend systems once the recording hardware had been taken away.
The newly uncovered frames show “an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance.”
The footage itself was also shared publicly and shows the masked person appearing to be adjusting or interfering with the system.
A masked individual on Nancy Guthrie’s front porch, from a video dated February 10, 2026 | Source: YouTube/USA Today
At first glance, the figure is dressed in dark clothing, wearing gloves and a mask. But it was not the outfit that caught the internet’s attention.
It was the eyes.
A masked individual on Nancy Guthrie’s front porch, from a video dated February 10, 2026 | Source: YouTube/USA Today
As screenshots circulated, amateur sleuths zoomed in on the upper half of the masked face. And suddenly, timelines filled with one recurring question.
Who exactly is under that mask?
A masked individual on Nancy Guthrie’s front porch, from a video dated February 10, 2026 | Source: YouTube/USA Today
Some were convinced they were looking at more than just a generic disguise. They pointed to the eyebrows and eyelashes, claiming the shape looked distinctly feminine.
One person wrote, “Now who is this perpetrator? Is it a woman? Those eyebrows look perfectly arched! #NancyGuthrie.”
A masked individual on Nancy Guthrie’s front porch, from a video dated February 10, 2026 | Source: YouTube/USA Today
Another posted, “I just saw the pictures that they’re showing for Nancy Guthrie to me. It looks like a woman look at the eyebrows.”
A different commenter added, “These look like woman’s eyes, seems like the eyebrows are very well shaped and eyelashes look kinda curly… #NancyGuthrieKidnapping.”
Someone else declared, “This is the face of a female. Nancy Guthrie was taken by this woman.” Even on Facebook, the speculation continued. One comment read, “Looks like a womans eyebrows [sic].”