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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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A genetic genealogist has said that a DNA review of hair found at Nancy Guthrie's home could help solve the mystery of her disappearance.
Guthrie, 84, the mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen at her Arizona home on January 31 and reported missing the following day. Authorities believe she was kidnapped and said drops of her blood were found on the front porch of her house.
The FBI recently received and is now reviewing DNA evidence from Nancy Guthrie's home as the investigation into her disappearance continues, ABC News and NewsNation reported Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The DNA evidence includes hair, according to NewsNation.
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Speaking to NewsNation's Brian Entin, CeCe Moore said: this was an important development in the case. "Hair absolutely can make the case solvable so I'm really excited," she said.
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The Context
Since the first days of her disappearance, authorities have expressed concern about Nancy Guthrie's health because she needs vital daily medication.
Alleged ransom notes have been sent to multiple news outlets since she disappeared.
Last month, the FBI released surveillance images of a masked man on Nancy Guthrie’s porch on the night she disappeared. Authorities have not publicly identified the person, whom they called a suspect, but the FBI described the person as a male about 5-foot-9 or 5-foot-10 with an average build and said he was carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.
What To Know
Moore said DNA from hair "opens up many thousands of cases for being able to finally be solved that don't have any other type of DNA evidence."
She added that she hoped the hair belong to someone who kidnapped Nancy Guthrie. If the hair belongs to a family member or Guthrie herself, the DNA will not be useful.
"But you just never know what that one little piece of evidence is that can break a case wide open," she said.
She added: "If they really do have a rootless hair and it is from that kidnapper, then this is going to be the piece of information that will solve the case."
"It's really exciting actually," she said. "I mean I don't want to get everyone's hopes up too much because we've hit so many brick walls here, but it's the first positive thing I've heard for a while."
The Pima County Sheriff's Department said it has worked with the FBI since the start of the investigation.
"This is not new information. The private lab we utilize in Florida continues to share information with the FBI lab and other partner labs across the country. DNA analysis remains ongoing," the sheriff's department wrote on X.
What Happens Next
Nancy Guthrie’s family is offering a $1-million reward for information that leads to her recovery, and a separate reward of more than $200,000 is being offered for information about her whereabouts or that could lead to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.
Moore said "it can take a number of months" to analyze rootless hair samples."
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