Nancy Guthrie case: FBI prepares for 'parallel realities' while awaiting DNA results
TUCSON, Ariz. — As the Nancy Guthrie case enters week three, investigators and the public are awaiting potentially pivotal DNA results tied to a glove recovered near the scene.
But according to retired FBI agent Jason Pack, even a major forensic development may not be the silver bullet many are expecting.
"From the perspective of an agent who’s sat in that war room waiting on lab results, DNA is one of the most powerful tools we have, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood by the public," Pack told Fox News Digital.
When investigators await DNA findings on a key piece of evidence, Pack said they are preparing for what he described as "three parallel realities."
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If the DNA matches a known individual, Pack called that "obviously a significant investigative development" — but cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
"A match doesn’t automatically equal guilt," he said. "It tells you that person’s biological material came into contact with that item at some point. You still need to build the narrative around it. When? How? Is there an innocent explanation?"
He noted that any competent defense attorney would immediately scrutinize the chain of custody, potential contamination and the possibility of secondary transfer.
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"So a match accelerates your investigation," Pack explained. "It doesn’t close it."
A mismatch, meaning the DNA belongs to someone not currently on investigators’ radar, can be just as meaningful, he explained.
"Now you’ve potentially identified an unknown subject. You’re running it through CODIS, you’re looking at familial DNA possibilities, you’re expanding your universe of suspects," Pack said.
Importantly, he noted, that development wouldn’t necessarily dismantle an existing investigative theory.
"It doesn’t mean your current theory is wrong. It means you have a new thread to pull."
The third possibility — inconclusive or degraded results — is often the most misunderstood outcome, Pack said.
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Environmental exposure, mixture profiles, the material of the glove itself and low-copy-number DNA can all complicate testing, he added.
"An inconclusive finding doesn’t exonerate anyone, and it doesn’t implicate anyone," Pack said. "It simply means that particular piece of evidence can’t speak as loudly as you’d hoped."
Pack cautioned against allowing a single piece of evidence to dominate public expectations.
"I’ve worked investigations where one piece of evidence became the public’s obsession, and it created enormous pressure that didn’t serve the case," he said.
While a glove recovered at or near a scene is significant, he noted such items can be transient.
"Gloves get dropped, discarded, blown around," Pack said. "The questions of when it was deposited and whether it’s actually connected to the crime are just as important as whose DNA is on it."
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Seasoned investigators, he added, never rely on one forensic result alone.
"DNA is one lane on a multi-lane highway," Pack said, pointing to digital forensics, cell tower data, witness canvasses, financial records, surveillance footage and behavioral analysis as parallel investigative tracks.
"The best cases are built on convergence — when multiple independent lines of evidence point in the same direction," he said. "You never want to be in a position where your entire case rises or falls on a single lab result."
As anticipation builds around the pending DNA findings, Pack offered a final note of restraint.
"While these DNA results may be the most anticipated development, they shouldn’t be viewed as the most determinative one, regardless of what they show."
Nancy Guthrie disappearance timeline:
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January 31, 2026
Between 9:30–9:45 p.m. — Family drops Nancy off at home
9:50 p.m. — Garage door closes (per authorities)
February 1, 2026
1:47 a.m. — Doorbell camera disconnects
2:12 a.m. — Security camera detects motion
2:28 a.m. — Pacemaker disconnects from phone application
11:56 a.m. — Family checks on Nancy after she misses weekly church livestream gathering
12:03 p.m. — 911 called
12:15 p.m. — Sheriff’s deputies arrive at home