The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC’s “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has gripped the nation since she vanished from her Tucson-area home in the early hours of February 1, 2026. What began as a routine family visit quickly turned into a high-stakes kidnapping case, with authorities now turning to cutting-edge forensic tools in a desperate bid to bring her home.

Investigators from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI believe Nancy was taken against her will around 2:30 a.m. Security footage from her doorbell camera captured a masked male suspect wearing gloves, carrying a black backpack, and possibly armed, lurking outside before disabling the system. Signs of forced entry were evident, including splatters of blood later confirmed through DNA testing to belong to Nancy. Her pacemaker disconnected from monitoring shortly after, heightening fears for her safety.

Early leads focused on a black glove discovered roughly two miles from the home, eerily similar to those worn by the suspect on video. DNA extracted from the glove was rushed to analysis but returned no matches in the FBI’s national CODIS database, a major setback that ruled out immediate hits from known offenders. However, the investigation took a dramatic turn with the discovery of additional biological evidence inside Nancy’s residence during a meticulous follow-up search described as a “fine-tooth comb” operation.

This unknown male DNA profile, believed to potentially belong to the kidnapper, did not match the glove sample or CODIS entries. Rather than hitting a dead end, authorities announced they are now employing investigative genetic genealogy—a powerful technique that builds family trees from distant relatives in public DNA databases to identify suspects or victims in cold cases. This method has previously cracked notorious mysteries, from long-unsolved murders to unidentified remains, by tracing genetic connections even when no direct match exists.

The shift to genetic genealogy has injected fresh hope into the case, now in its third week. Sheriff Chris Nanos emphasized that while traditional databases failed, this advanced approach could reveal the suspect’s identity through extended family links. The FBI has classified the incident as a kidnapping, with theories suggesting it may have been targeted rather than random, possibly involving more than one person. A massive reward topping $200,000 has been offered, and thousands of public tips continue to pour in.

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have made emotional public pleas, sharing videos urging the abductor(s) to release their mother unharmed. The family remains devastated, with Savannah stepping away from her high-profile role to focus on the search. As forensic labs process the biological evidence, the use of genetic genealogy stands as a potential game-changer—raising the chilling possibility that a masked intruder’s identity could soon be exposed through the very DNA they left behind.

The community in Catalina Foothills remains on edge, with no confirmed sightings or demands reported yet. Authorities stress that time is critical, and every lead, no matter how small, could make the difference in reuniting Nancy with her loved ones. The nation watches anxiously as this high-profile case unfolds, hoping science delivers the breakthrough needed to end the nightmare.