Arizona Sheriff Chris Nanos warns DNA tech issues in Nancy Guthrie case may take ‘months’ to resolve

Investigators in the Nancy Guthrie missing persons case are not looking into any new names, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said, amid challenges with mixed DNA found at the 84-year-old’s Arizona home at the lab his agency is using.

“In terms of leads and working and getting out there, I think that’s still growing, yeah,” Nanos said of the investigation during an interview with “NBC Nightly News” that aired Saturday.

The sheriff’s remarks ran counter to statements from local businesses about how they’ve been shown a list of names and images by the FBI.

It’s also unclear whether the DNA recovered inside Guthrie’s has been useful for the investigation.

Nanos said the samples are mixed, meaning they contain DNA from more than one person, making it harder to run through national databases.

“Our lab tells us that there are challenges with it,” Nanos said of the Florida lab his department is using. “The technology is moving so fast and in such a frenzy that they think some of this stuff will resolve itself just in a matter of weeks, months, or maybe a year.”

The sheriff noted that investigators were still working other avenues of the weeks-long probe into Guthrie’s abduction.

“I think we’re getting a little closer to identifying some of the other articles, not just that backpack. Like the shoes, the pants, the shirt or jacket,” he said.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is leading the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Nancy Guthrie from her Tucson, Arizona home on Feb. 1, 2026.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is leading the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Nancy Guthrie from her Tucson, Arizona, home on Feb. 1, 2026.REUTERS

NBC "Today" host Savannah Guthrie with her mother, Nancy.
NBC “Today” host Savannah Guthrie with her mother, Nancy.via REUTERS

It’s also unclear whether the DNA recovered inside Guthrie's has been useful for the investigation.
It’s also unclear whether the DNA recovered inside Guthrie’s has been useful for the investigation.James Keivom for NY PostGuthrie was last seen on the night of Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, after being dropped off at her home in the Catalina Foothills area near Tucson.

“It’s never fast enough for the Sheriff,” Nanos said of the criticism of his office weeks after Gutherie’s disappearance, with no arrests made. “I want it like you. Come on, guys, let’s go. Let’s go, let us find her. But the reality is, I also know that sometimes things take time.”

“We’re not quitting,” he added. “We’ll find her.”