Nancy Guthrie: Expert CeCe Moore Says New DNA Evidence Is Still Possible

More than two months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home, the biggest question is whether she’s still alive. Nevertheless, hope remains that DNA might help resolve the case one way or another. However, DNA is technical and not always easy to understand. New news suggests the samples found so far are “mixed.” Is that the end of the road using the tech needed? Read on to find out.

An Expert Weighs In

Mixed DNA basically means that it comes from multiple people, and that makes it difficult to establish much in the way of a suspect. However, an expert in the field, CeCe Moore, who spoke with Brian Entin on his Brian Entin Investigates podcast, believes it’s not time to give up.

If you don’t know, CeCe is worth listening to because she’s a world-renowned genetic genealogist. While Nancy Guthrie hasn’t been found, in many respects, she believes that the true crime case pushed forward the tech needed to advance that area of forensic investigations.

New Technology 

During her conversation, she said that “companies or a company that was planning to release a new mixture deconvolution software package has probably rushed that.” That’s interesting, because it’s a step up from existing technology. After all, the newer “SNIP testing” used in modern genealogy is still “lagging behind” when it comes to sorting out mixtures.

Surprisingly, using DNA hasn’t reached the end of the road, and Moore suggested investigators “return to that known crime scene” to look for fresh samples. As a reminder, she noted that the suspected abductor remained in the home for over 40 minutes.

DNA Might Still Remain

Because of the time spent there, she told Entin it’s “almost impossible not to leave your DNA behind.” Remember the light that the doorbell video showed? The suspect held it in his mouth. So, CeCe opined that he likely left “plentiful DNA” in the form of saliva on the suspect’s gloves or the door.

These days, there’s a way to do “rootless hair” testing that could identify a suspect from a single stray hair shaft. Previously, that just wasn’t possible. Well, as you probably know by now, multiple people entered the home of Nancy Guthrie since the Sheriff in Pima County handed the home back to the family. However, Moore believes it’s still possible to find something for testing.

Finding Answers For The Family 

Of course, everyone just wishes the case could be resolved, preferably with the outcome being positive. But right now, even bad news could at least help Savannah Guthrie and her family find closure.

In the comments section, true crime followers believe that investigators should take note of experts like CeCe Moore. One viewer opined, “She is on the cutting edge of genealogical DNA research.”

Other Responses

Here are a few more responses from the discussion:

• If there is a reward offered and the case ends up being solved using DNA or IGG they should consider donating the reward towards funding these labs for future research and development.
• I wish that law enforcement could bring CeCe to the crime scene with her expertise, she’d find that DNA.
• I vote CeCe for a Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking work in familial investigative DNA!
• Did everyone hear CeCe: “they can now extract DNA from a single hair that has no root.” A strand of hair. I just love where DNA/science is going with this.

Will Anyone Listen?

The question is whether the investigators will consider using someone from outside at this stage. Remember, Sheriff Chris Nanos already did that, and that meant the FBI had to have another shot at it.

It’s been one disappointment after another. And right now, Nanos himself faces questions about competency and an allegedly dodgy work history. Plus, he turned down offers from folks like the United Cajun Navy, a volunteer search-and-rescue group.

@true.crime.examined

Do you think the Nancy Guthrie case would have already been solved if it had happened anywhere else, and if different investigators were in charge? #TrueCrimeExamined #TrueCrime #NancyGuthrie #PimaCounty #Insider

♬ Corruption – Perfect, so dystopian

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