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Nancy Guthrie's alleged kidnapper is seen on a cellular phone | Source: Getty Images
Nancy Guthrie's alleged kidnapper is seen on a cellular phone | Source: Getty Images

New Bombshell Evidence Emerges After Glove Is Found near Nancy Guthrie’s House

Milly Wanjiku Ndirangu
Feb 16, 2026
09:41 A.M.

A single glove found in the desert may have just shifted the entire investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. And the DNA inside it is raising new questions.

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Fifteen days after the 84-year-old vanished from her Tucson-area home, the FBI confirmed a major development. According to Fox 13 News, one glove recovered during the search appears to match the gloves worn by the masked man seen on surveillance footage outside her home.

Front of Nancy Guthrie's home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 7, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

Front of Nancy Guthrie's home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 7, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

The Glove That Changed the Timeline

An FBI spokesperson said on Sunday, February 15, that several gloves had been collected during the search. But one stood out.

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It appears to match the gloves worn by the suspect captured on recovered Nest camera footage — the same footage showing a masked man approaching her front door and attempting to cover the camera with leaves.

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Even more significant? The glove contains a DNA profile.

In a breaking update shared by Fox News, the FBI confirmed that the DNA found in this glove is different from other gloves previously recovered.

It is also not the same DNA that was found earlier inside Nancy's home. That detail could prove critical.

A masked individual standing beneath the brick entryway at Nancy Guthrie's Arizona home | Source: x/PimaSheriff

A masked individual standing beneath the brick entryway at Nancy Guthrie's Arizona home | Source: x/PimaSheriff

Why the DNA Matters

Investigators are now waiting for final lab results before uploading the DNA profile into a national database.

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Former FBI agent Jonathan Gilliam explained how powerful that step could be. He said the profile can be run through CoDIS, the FBI’s national DNA system that contains felony offenders and missing persons.

If there is a match, identification could be almost immediate.

Savannah Guthrie poses alongside her mother Nancy | Source: Getty Images

Savannah Guthrie poses alongside her mother Nancy | Source: Getty Images

Gilliam also noted that investigators can expand the search to family members. That means even if the suspect has never been arrested, a relative’s DNA could lead authorities to a name.

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He described the development as "a move towards the right area of operation."

But former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb urged caution. "DNA is not like a TV show where you get the results within no time and you figure out who did it by the end of the show," Lamb said.

He added that DNA testing takes time and pointed out that specialized labs, including one in Florida, can process familial DNA connections.

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A Separate DNA Mystery

This new glove adds another layer to the case.

The sheriff's department previously confirmed that someone's DNA was found on Nancy's property. That DNA does not belong to Nancy or anyone in close contact with her.

Now, authorities are working with two separate DNA threads — the unknown profile found earlier and the new profile pulled from the glove that appears to match the masked suspect.

Investigators believe DNA could be the key clue that finally identifies the person responsible.

Nancy Guthrie, from a post dated December 20, 2024 | Source: Facebook/Savannah Guthrie

Nancy Guthrie, from a post dated December 20, 2024 | Source: Facebook/Savannah Guthrie

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Surveillance, Signals, and Border Questions

The glove discovery follows intense investigative efforts on multiple fronts.

Law enforcement flew over Nancy's home using a Bluetooth signal detector in an attempt to track a signal from her pacemaker, which disconnected from her phone app just before 2 a.m. on February 1.

Cybersecurity expert Morgan Wright said analysts are reviewing ping data that could reveal specific locations and timestamps.

Meanwhile, a new twist emerged through a message obtained by TMZ.

A man claiming to know the kidnapper sent a money demand that ended with the line: "for the man hunt of the main individual that can give you all the answers and be prepared to go International."

The wording suggests the suspect could already be outside the United States — possibly in Mexico, which is a short drive south of Tucson.

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Authorities have not confirmed that claim.

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Savannah's Emotional Plea

Amid the growing developments, Savannah Guthrie shared a new video message on Instagram. The "Today" co-host addressed the person responsible directly.

"It's been two weeks since our mom was taken. And I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope. And we still believe,"

Later in the video, she added, "It's never too late." In the caption, she wrote, "Bring her home. It's never too late to do the next right thing."

Savannah has previously said the family would comply with alleged ransom demands, though there has been no update on whether any payment was made.

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What Happens Next

For now, investigators are waiting on lab confirmation.

If the DNA in the glove matches the profile of the masked man seen in surveillance footage, and if that profile hits in the national database, authorities could identify a suspect quickly.

But if there is no match, investigators may expand the search to family DNA — a process that could take longer but still provide answers.

What remains clear is this: the glove may be the strongest physical evidence yet.

And with DNA now at the center of the investigation, the next update could change everything.

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As we had previously reported, the glove may hold the key to solving Nancy's disappearance, but a turf war between federal and local authorities is threatening to derail the investigation.

The glove was pulled from desert brush near Nancy's Tucson home. On its own, it could represent a major breakthrough.

Instead, it has become the center of a jurisdictional standoff that is costing investigators valuable time.

An FBI agent searches the area around Nancy Guthrie's residence on February 11, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

An FBI agent searches the area around Nancy Guthrie's residence on February 11, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

FBI Doubles Reward to $100,000

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As tensions simmer behind the scenes, federal investigators made a public move.

On February 13, the FBI announced they're increasing the reward to $100,000 for information leading to Nancy's location or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her kidnapping. The dramatic boost signals mounting urgency nearly two weeks after she vanished from her Tucson home on the night of January 31, 2026.

Searches continue around Nancy Guthrie's residence in Tucson, Arizona | Source: Getty Images

Searches continue around Nancy Guthrie's residence in Tucson, Arizona | Source: Getty Images

More than 13,000 tips have flooded in since early February. Threat Intake Examiners at the National Threat Operations Center work around-the-clock reviewing every submission for credibility and actionable intelligence.

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Dozens of agents and investigators staff a 24-hour command post, processing leads every shift. The FBI continues urging anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Members of the FBI surveil an area around Nancy Guthrie's residence on February 11, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

Members of the FBI surveil an area around Nancy Guthrie's residence on February 11, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

New Suspect Details Confirmed

The reward increase coincides with refined identifying details about the perpetrator following forensic analysis by the FBI's Operational Technology Division. Investigators now describe the suspect as a male standing approximately 5'9" to 5'10" tall with an average build.

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The suspect approaches Nancy Guthrie's house, seen in a post dated February 10, 2026 | Source: Instagram Reel/savannahguthrie

The suspect approaches Nancy Guthrie's house, seen in a post dated February 10, 2026 | Source: Instagram Reel/savannahguthrie

Doorbell footage captures a person of interest outside Nancy Guthrie's home, from a post dated February 10, 2026 | Source: Instagram/savannahguthrie

Doorbell footage captures a person of interest outside Nancy Guthrie's home, from a post dated February 10, 2026 | Source: Instagram/savannahguthrie

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In recovered doorbell camera footage, he's carrying a distinctive black "Ozark Trail Hiker Pack" backpack with a 25-liter capacity. Officials hope the added specificity will sharpen public tips and narrow the search.

A black "Ozark Trail Hiker Pack" backpack | Source: X/@fbiphoenix

A black "Ozark Trail Hiker Pack" backpack | Source: X/@fbiphoenix

Yet even with the video evidence and thousands of leads, investigators still lacked something tangible. Then came the discovery in the desert.

A black "Ozark Trail Hiker Pack" backpack | Source: X/@fbiphoenix

A black "Ozark Trail Hiker Pack" backpack | Source: X/@fbiphoenix

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A black "Ozark Trail Hiker Pack" backpack | Source: X/@fbiphoenix

A black "Ozark Trail Hiker Pack" backpack | Source: X/@fbiphoenix

Critical Evidence Pulled from Desert Brush

FBI Evidence Response team members recently recovered a piece of physical evidence from low desert shrubbery roughly one and a half miles from Nancy's secluded residence at the edge of Tucson. Agents photographed the item as they pulled it from the brush.

The discovery could represent the most significant physical clue yet. The recovered item is a black glove that closely matches the type worn by the armed perpetrator visible in surveillance footage.

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The intruder wore black gloves | Source: Instagram/savannahguthrie

The intruder wore black gloves | Source: Instagram/savannahguthrie

For investigators hunting Nancy's abductor, the glove offers potential DNA evidence, fingerprints, or other forensic traces. But there's a major problem preventing the FBI from analyzing it.

Nancy Guthrie, from a post dated September 4, 2015 | Source: Facebook/NancyGuthrie

Nancy Guthrie, from a post dated September 4, 2015 | Source: Facebook/NancyGuthrie

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Sheriff Reportedly Blocks FBI Access to Key Evidence

The case has now shifted from the desert to a dispute over who controls the evidence.

A federal law enforcement source revealed to Fox News Digital that Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is blocking the FBI from obtaining crucial evidence in the case. The jurisdictional standoff threatens to slow an investigation where every minute matters.

Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos, speaks to the media in Tucson, Arizona | Source: Getty Images

Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos, speaks to the media in Tucson, Arizona | Source: Getty Images

The evidence Nanos refuses to release includes the desert-recovered glove and DNA collected from inside Nancy's home. Federal officials requested that all materials be sent to the FBI's national crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, where the country's top forensic experts could process everything immediately.

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Private Florida Lab Chosen Instead of FBI Facility

Instead, Sheriff Nanos has insisted on sending the evidence to a private laboratory in Florida rather than cooperating with federal analysts. That decision has sparked concern within federal ranks.

Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos | Source: Getty Images

Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos | Source: Getty Images

An unnamed official criticized the decision, warning it "risks further slowing a case that grows more urgent by the minute." The source also cited "earlier setbacks" in the investigation and questioned why Nanos waited so long to request FBI involvement.

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Under the current protocol, the Pima County Sheriff's Office remains the primary investigative authority in the case. The FBI may assist, but only when formally invited.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaks during a news conference | Source: Getty Images

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaks during a news conference | Source: Getty Images

Time Running Out as Standoff Continues

The bureaucratic battle drags on while the clock ticks. Nancy's pacemaker stopped transmitting data to her phone app at 2:28 a.m. on February 1, just 16 minutes after her doorbell camera registered motion at 2:12 a.m.

Family members found splatters of blood outside her residence that Sunday morning after she failed to attend church. Forensic testing confirmed it belonged to Nancy.

The FBI keeps pushing for cooperation while urging the public to submit information that could bring the "Today" show co-host's mother home safely.

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