Nancy Guthrie Update: Investigative Reporter Says What May Crack the Case
What To Know
- Investigative reporter Brian Entin believes DNA evidence, particularly a stranger’s DNA found in Nancy Guthrie’s home, may be crucial to solving her disappearance.
- Forensics expert April Stonehouse notes that despite suspects’ efforts to avoid leaving DNA, traces are often left behind and DNA processing in this case has been moving rapidly.
- Both Entin and Stonehouse are optimistic that DNA analysis will be key, citing past cases where even small DNA samples have cracked major investigations.
It’s been a month and a half now since Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her home in Pima County, Arizona. And investigative reporter Brian Entin, who has been covering the story at the scene almost since day one, says it’ll likely be DNA that solves the mystery.
“I really believe, at the end of the day, DNA is what may crack this case,” Entin said in Friday’s episode of Brian Entin Investigates. “The DNA is important — obviously, with any case, but especially with this case — because it doesn’t seem like there’s been a lot of other solid leads. And remember, the big piece of DNA, that I think is going to end up being the most important, is the DNA that was found in Nancy’s home … is a stranger’s DNA, so it could be the suspect’s DNA.”
In Friday’s episode of his show, Entin spoke with April Stonehouse, a professor of practice at Arizona State University’s School of Interdisciplinary Forensics.
“I would be hopeful that [investigators] found at least a few items of evidence because, by virtue of the fact [the suspect is] in a home he doesn’t belong in, he is going to leave some of his DNA behind,” Stonehouse said. “Now, he’s obviously taking measures to try and avoid leaving his DNA behind. He’s wearing gloves. He’s wearing a mask. But we know scientifically that they will leave behind traces of their DNA. It’s just a matter of locating it and finding it.”
And Stonehouse said that the DNA processing has “actually been moving at a very rapid pace,” pointing to the confirmation that blood found at Nancy’s residence was hers.
“They ran that blood immediately,” she said. “When that all came back to match the victim, then they found themselves in the position of having to go back and submit additional items of evidence for testing. And so when they worked the blood, they wouldn’t have known what the results were until they actually got the results back. … It’s part of this process of working items, seeing what the results are, and then if the results aren’t helpful, working more items of evidence to try and advance the investigation.”
Like Entin, Stonehouse is hopeful that DNA cracks the Nancy Guthrie case. She told Entin that in 2006, she worked on the case of an unidentified woman murdered in Pima County in 1981. “And the DNA in that case single-handedly made the difference in figuring out her identity and who had perpetrated that crime,” she said. “And so yes, DNA, and to your point about if DNA is left behind, yes, it could be left behind in very, very small quantities. Sometimes half the battle is just finding where it’s located.”
Conversation
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P
Want to know why we are not seeing more on Mrs. Nancy's case.
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T
This is case sadly feels colder than the dark side of the moon. Hope I'm wrong and something comes up soon.
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B
I just watch a case in California where they got google to ping any phones in a woman s house at a wedding venue th eight she was killed they actually found the guy who murdered a lady name Nancy who owned the wedding venue GOOGLE get them to check Nancy Guthries house
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C
Trace the DNA through him possibly spitting in the sinks, urinating in the bathrooms or sitting on the toilets..DNA on the toilet paper, placing items in the trashcan...handprints, touching countertops, remotes from tv's, animals inside home-finger prints from colar, clothing, possibly drinking or eating something out of the refrigerator, prints on the refrigerator or freezer, cleansing any blankets, or clothing in the washing machine? He could of urinated outside the home, possible prints on the brick walls or blood, he could have taken a swim in her pool. I will continue to 🙏 for her. Where is she, bring her home, Amen.
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C
There was holes in the mask and perp left facial hairs in carpet and outside. Also perp left breath fog on surfaces and window and doors. All these should be swabed.
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M
Cadaver dogs will solve this case. DNA would have already if the perp was in the system.
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J
Why does the guy's teeth light up on the door cam, inlay or crown work?
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