Newly Discovered Leads Revealed in Nancy Guthrie Case — DNA, Alleged Suspect's Sketch, and More

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.

Here's what officials confirmed — and the visual development now circulating alongside those updates.

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.

In addition, a laboratory is analyzing a pair of 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."

Separately, a 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.

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 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.

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.

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?

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."

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]."

But investigators were already looking at the suspect from a very different angle.

What Authorities Are Saying

While social media buzzed with theories, several national media outlets reported on February 12, that an unnamed source claimed Nanos was blocking the FBI from accessing key evidence in the case.

The sheriff firmly denied those allegations in an interview with 13 News' Mary Coleman. He stated that it was not true and explained that the Pima County Sheriff's Department wants all evidence sent to the same lab for testing, specifically DNA Labs International in Florida.

According to Nanos, during a Thursday meeting with federal agents, one of them told him, "We do not want the media to divide us."

At the same time, authorities revealed more concrete details about the suspect seen in the video. And those details directly contradict the viral theory.

A Different Description Emerges

The FBI has identified the suspect as a man between 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-10 with an average build.

Authorities also pointed out that the person in the surveillance video carried a black Ozark Trail Hiker Pack with a 25-liter capacity. Walmart sells this specific backpack for under $11.

Authorities have since increased the reward to $100,000 for information leading to progress in the case. And while Sheriff Nanos confirmed there are still no signs of the victim, he did say investigators have "good leads."

A Daughter's Reaction

Shortly after law enforcement made them public, Nancy's daughter, Savannah Guthrie, shared the same surveillance images on her Instagram page.

"We believe she is still alive. Bring her home," she wrote. "Anyone with information, please contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Pima County Sheriff's Department 520-351-4900."

In a separate post that included video from the front door camera, she emphasized, "Someone out there recognizes this person." In that same message, she reiterated her belief that her mother is still alive and renewed her appeal to help ensure her safe return.