KEY POINT
- Three people were detained during a warrant execution in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance investigation in Arizona.
- DNA not belonging to Guthrie or her close contacts was collected from her property and is being analyzed.
- Federal and county authorities are expanding searches and reviewing neighborhood video footage within a two mile radius.
TUCSON, Ariz. — Three individuals were detained Thursday during the execution of a search warrant in the ongoing Nancy Guthrie disappearance investigation in Arizona, as authorities confirmed that unidentified DNA evidence collected from her property is undergoing forensic analysis.
The detentions occurred Feb. 13 in the Catalina Foothills area north of Tucson, according to a law enforcement source cited by Fox News.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said the case remains active and that additional information would be released in a written statement.
The Nancy Guthrie disappearance investigation has intensified in recent days as federal and county authorities broaden their forensic review and appeal to residents for surveillance footage.
Investigators have described the case as a potential abduction, noting that Guthrie was reportedly taken from her home against her will and was without necessary medication at the time she vanished.
Law enforcement officials have not publicly identified the detained individuals as suspects. A source familiar with the investigation told Fox News that two males and the mother of one of them were detained after authorities received a tip.
The source emphasized that during the execution of a search warrant, individuals present are typically detained temporarily as a procedural matter.
Guthrie was last seen the night of Jan. 31 after being dropped off at her residence near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue in the Catalina Foothills. She was reported missing the following day after failing to attend church services, according to authorities.
Investigators previously said blood droplets were found on the porch of her home, raising immediate concern. On Feb. 11, the FBI’s Phoenix field office confirmed that agents were conducting what it described as an “extensive search” along multiple roadways near the residence.
On Feb. 12, the sheriff’s department requested residents within a two l mile radius to provide surveillance footage recorded between Jan. 1 and Feb. 2.
Authorities have not disclosed whether the newly identified DNA evidence was collected inside or outside the residence.
The discovery of unidentified DNA may represent a pivotal development, though its significance depends on laboratory confirmation and contextual analysis, said Keith Inman, a forensic consultant and co author of “Principles and Practice of Criminalistics.”
“In cases involving trace DNA, context is everything,” Inman said. “Finding foreign DNA at a residence does not automatically establish criminal involvement. Investigators must determine how and when it was deposited.”
Retired FBI supervisory special agent Mary Ellen O’Toole, who previously worked in the bureau’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, said detentions during warrant execution are standard investigative practice.
“When agents execute a search warrant, it is common procedure to secure and detain individuals at the scene to ensure safety and preserve evidence,” O’Toole said. “It should not be interpreted as a formal accusation.”
Law enforcement agencies have not confirmed whether the detained individuals have been released or remain in custody. Officials have also not stated whether the case is being investigated as a kidnapping under federal statutes.
Sheriff Chris Nanos of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a prior public briefing that the investigation “remains active and ongoing” and urged residents to continue providing tips and surveillance recordings.
“We are following every credible lead,” Nanos said. “Community cooperation is essential in cases like this.”
An FBI spokesperson from the Phoenix field office said agents are coordinating closely with county authorities and forensic laboratories.
“Our focus is locating Ms. Guthrie and ensuring a thorough and methodical investigation,” the spokesperson said.
Residents in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood have reported increased law enforcement presence over the past week, including marked patrol vehicles and forensic units canvassing streets.
Authorities said forensic analysis of the unidentified DNA could take days or weeks, depending on laboratory processing times and database comparisons.
Investigators are also reviewing neighborhood video footage covering a one month period surrounding Guthrie’s disappearance.Officials have not indicated whether additional search warrants are anticipated.
Law enforcement agencies continue to ask anyone with information related to the Nancy Guthrie disappearance investigation to contact the sheriff’s department.
The detentions and emergence of unidentified DNA evidence mark a significant development in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance investigation, though authorities have not announced arrests or filed charges.
As forensic analysis proceeds and investigators expand their search efforts, officials say the case remains active with the primary objective of determining Guthrie’s whereabouts.
