The mystery surrounding a pair of black gloves found near the home of missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has been resolved, with DNA evidence linking them to a restaurant worker who has been cleared of any involvement. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed that the gloves, discovered roughly two miles from Guthrie's Tucson, Arizona residence nearly three weeks after her disappearance, 'have nothing to do with the case'.
The worker was employed at a restaurant across the street from the find site, hardly a surprise given the area's foot traffic. This development shifts focus back to key evidence in the suspected abduction of Guthrie, mother of Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie, last seen on 31 January.
Nancy Guthriewas last observed at her home around 9:30 p.m. on 31 January, with strong cognitive abilities but limited mobility, unable to walk more than 50 yards unaided and reliant on daily medication. A friend raised the alarm on 1 February after she missed church, leading the family to search the property and contact authorities by noon.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department arrived, declaring the home a crime scene and involving homicide detectives, convinced of foul play. Sheriff Nanos stated Guthrie did not leave voluntarily and was likely taken against her will during the night. Doorbell camera footage captured a masked figure at 1:47 a.m. on 1 February, but the video was overwritten due to an inactive subscription, and the device was later found damaged, suggesting tampering.
The FBI released images on 10 February of the individual, described as 5ft 9in to 5ft 10in (175 to 177.5 cm) tall, of average build, armed and carrying a black Ozark Trail backpack. On 16 February, Nanos cleared the entire Guthrie family, including siblings and spouses, praising their cooperation.
The glovesemerged as a potential lead when found on 15 February along a dirt path, their appearance matching those worn by the porch figure in the footage.
Takeaways — Pima deputies found a lot of gloves, but at least one set is believed to POTENTIALLY match the ones worn by the suspect on Nancy Guthrie’s porch. The crime lab was able to recover a DNA profile from it. CODIS results expected within a day.
Public speculation linked them directly to the suspect, but DNA analysis at a Florida labruled that out.
Nanos addressed this in a 2 March interview, explaining the DNA traced to the restaurant employee and dismissing theories as unfounded. 'The owner of the glove, we found working at a restaurant across the street,' he said. The department'sX accountconfirmed on 4 March that the individual is not part of the investigation.
Black gloves found about 2 miles from Nancy Guthrie’s home were traced through DNA to a local restaurant employee. That individual is not part of this investigation.Lab analysis on other DNA evidence remains ongoing.
Source: International Business Times UK
