No DNA matches on glove found in Nancy Guthrie case, police say

A glove discovered as part of the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping has produced no DNA matches, say authorities in Pima County, Arizona.

Found about two miles (3.2km) from Guthrie's home, the glove appeared to match one worn by a suspect in doorbell-camera footage taken the night she disappeared.

DNA from the glove was sent for testing on Thursday but produced no matches in Codis, the FBI's database of DNA from offenders. However, the local sheriff told the BBC that said DNA may still play a role in finding Guthrie.

Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC television anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been missing since 1 February, when officials say she was taken from home against her will.

The family have made repeated pleas for the return of the 84-year-old.

In his comments to the BBC, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said he believed Guthrie was the victim of a targeted kidnapping, and that she was being held somewhere close to her home in Tucson.

Nanos, who is leading the hunt, said he was confident they would find her - whether it took "10 days, 10 months, or worse".

Detectives have received close to 40,000 tips from the public, he added.

Nanos said he did not see the lack of DNA matches as a setback, and added that DNA could still play a crucial part in solving the case.

The glove was just one of several that were collected from various locations near Guthrie's residence, though most turned out to have been discarded by people searching for the missing woman.

Last week, investigators released video footage taken from a doorbell camera at Guthrie's front door that showed a masked man wearing gloves and a backpack.

In the video, the suspect walks toward the camera and tries to cover it with his gloved hand before grabbing some brush from the front yard to block the camera's view.

After conducting a forensic analysis of the video, the FBI said it believed the man was between 5ft 9in and 5ft 10in (175-177cm) tall, with an average build.

The sheriff's department said it was working with Walmart to determine who purchased a backpack worn by the suspect in the video, which is exclusively sold at the store.

More than two weeks since Guthrie, 84, was reported missing, no arrests have been made, the sheriff's department confirmed on Tuesday.

However, authorities noted that more DNA found at her home was being analysed - and that they are exploring other "investigative genetic genealogy" databases for DNA matches.

Police said over the weekend that the Guthrie family, including Nancy Guthrie's children and their spouses, were not suspects in her abduction.

Nanos described Guthrie's children and the rest of her family instead as "victims" in the disappearance.

Guthrie's three children have posted multiple videos online pleading for their mother's safe return in the two weeks since her disappearance, saying they were willing to pay her abductors.

Over the weekend, Savannah Guthrie posted another such video that addressed a potential kidnapper directly.

"It is never too late to do the right thing," she said. "We are here and... we believe in the essential goodness of every human being."

Guthrie was last seen on the evening of 31 January, when a family member dropped her off at her home following a get-together at her daughter Annie Guthrie's house.

Members of her church noticed her absence the following day and notified her family.

A massive search team mounted by both local police and the FBI have since been combing through Guthrie's home and the surrounding area.

Officials have warned that Guthrie needs regular medication and is "not in good physical health". They have said she has no reported cognitive issues.

Police have also found blood on the floor of Guthrie's porch that was confirmed to be hers.

The FBI has increased the reward for information about her disappearance from $50,000 (£36,700) to $100,000.