{"id":154796,"date":"2026-02-13T20:45:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T20:45:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/154796\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T20:45:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T20:45:12","slug":"sheriff-nanos-sent-nancy-guthrie-evidence-to-private-florida-lab-instead-of-fbi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/154796\/","title":{"rendered":"Sheriff Nanos sent Nancy Guthrie evidence to private Florida lab instead of FBI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable\">TUCSON, Ariz. \u2014 A high-profile forensic geology company slammed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/crime\/police-and-law-enforcement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Pima County Sheriff&#8217;s Department<\/a> for sending critical evidence in the Nancy Guthrie case to a private lab in Florida, instead of directly to the FBI.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable\">&#8220;This is so devastating,&#8221; said Othram co-founder Kristen Mittelman. &#8220;DNA Labs International is a traditional forensic lab that consumes evidence to make an SRT [short tandem repeat] profile, so I don\u2019t understand why it didn\u2019t go to Quantico, since they can do this better and faster than anyone, and they have a pipeline to flip it immediately to inferring identity with us.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Othram is a Texas-based forensic genetic genealogy lab that was instrumental in helping authorities identify infamous murderer Bryan Kohberger, among other high-profile criminals.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pima-county-sheriff-nancy-guthrie-fox-news.jpg\" alt=\"Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaks to reporters in Arizona.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaks to the media in Catalina, Arizona, on Feb. 3, while answering questions about the search for Nancy Guthrie. (\u00a0Jan Sonnenmair\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kold.com\/2026\/02\/11\/investigators-looking-backpack-nancy-guthrie-suspect\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">report by KOLD<\/a>, DNA Labs International, located in Deerfield Beach, Florida, is where Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has sent key evidence to be examined. State records confirm that Arizona has a contract with the company for &#8220;biological laboratory services&#8221; that began in 2022 and runs through March.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/former-fbi-agent-urges-caution-surveillance-video-man-guthrie-area-circulates-web\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">FORMER FBI AGENT URGES CAUTION AS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF MAN IN GUTHRIE AREA CIRCULATES WEB<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Mittelman stressed that time is &#8220;critical&#8221; in every case, especially Guthrie&#8217;s.<\/p>\n<p>She also said that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/genetics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Othram worked the case<\/a> of formerly unidentified murder victim Evelyn Colon after DNA Labs International couldn&#8217;t crack the case. Colon, previously known as Beth Doe, was murdered in New Jersey in 1976. She was identified in 2021.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/nancy-guthrie-albuquerque-billboard.jpg\" alt=\"Nancy Guthrie billboard in in Albuquerque, New Mexico\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>An FBI billboard in Albuquerque, N.M., raising awareness about the search for missing Nancy Guthrie.\u00a0 (KRQE)<\/p>\n<p>A federal law enforcement source told Fox News Digital that the evidence will need to be retested by the FBI anyway.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/fbi-evidence-nancy-guthrie-case-draws-two-suspect-claims-retired-agent-weighs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">FBI EVIDENCE IN NANCY GUTHRIE CASE DRAWS TWO-SUSPECT CLAIMS, RETIRED AGENT WEIGHS IN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s just the FBI developed this method and can do it so much better without destroying the evidence,&#8221; the source said. &#8220;I\u2019ve seen so many cases go to Florida and be consumed.\u00a0Also, they are not as fast, and in this case, time matters.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, a federal law enforcement source accused Nanos of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/arizona-sheriff-blocking-fbi-from-key-evidence-escalating-guthrie-case-source\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">blocking the FBI<\/a> from obtaining the evidence, first reported by Reuters and confirmed by Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It risks further slowing a case that grows more urgent by the minute,&#8221; the official told Reuters, citing unspecified &#8220;earlier setbacks&#8221; in the investigation. The official also criticized Nanos for not requesting help from the FBI earlier in the case.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/nancy-guthrie-fbi-investigators-search-catalina-foothills-tucson-fox-news-003.jpg\" alt=\"FBI investigators searching for Nancy Guthrie in Catalina Foothills in Tucson, Arizona.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>FBI investigators search Catalina Foothills in Tucson, Arizona, Wednesday, February 11, 2026. The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie continues. (DWS for Fox News Digital)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/elite-fbi-video-unit-worked-kohberger-case-spotted-nancy-guthrie-home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">ELITE FBI VIDEO UNIT THAT WORKED KOHBERGER CASE SPOTTED AT NANCY GUTHRIE HOME<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Nanos denied those allegations, telling KOLD that the Pima County Sheriff&#8217;s Department simply wants all evidence to be examined at the same lab.<\/p>\n<p>He reportedly said he had a meeting with agents on Thursday, and was told by agents, &#8220;We do not want the media to divide us.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this week, the FBI released <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/tech\/technologies\/video\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">doorbell camera footage<\/a> of a suspect, recorded at Guthrie&#8217;s home shortly before authorities believe she was abducted or kidnapped.<\/p>\n<p>The suspect is described as a male between 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-10, with an average build. He was wearing an Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/guthrie-alleged-suspect-grabs.jpg\" alt=\"A view from a doorbell camera showing an armed individual outside the residence of Nancy Guthrie in Tucson, Arizona\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>Photos released on Feb. 10, 2025, show a &#8220;subject&#8221; on Nancy Guthrie&#8217;s property.\u00a0 (Provided by FBI)<\/p>\n<p>The Pima County Sheriff&#8217;s Office did not return a comment request.<\/p>\n<p>DNA Labs International declined to comment.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Nancy Guthrie disappearance timeline:\u00a0<br \/>Jan. 31, 2026<br \/>\u2022 Between 9:30\u20139:45 p.m. \u2013 Family drops Nancy off at home<br \/>\u2022 9:50 p.m. \u2013 Garage door closes (per authorities)<br \/>Feb. 1, 2026<br \/>\u2022 1:47 a.m. \u2013 Doorbell camera disconnects<br \/>\u2022 2:12 a.m. \u2013 Security camera detects motion<br \/>\u2022 2:28 a.m. \u2013 Pacemaker disconnects from phone application<br \/>\u2022 11:56 a.m. \u2013 Family checks on Nancy after she misses weekly church livestream gathering<br \/>\u2022 12:03 p.m. \u2014 911 called<br \/>\u2022 12:15 p.m. \u2014 Sheriff\u2019s deputies arrive at home<\/p>\n<p>Peter D&#8217;Abrosca is a reporter at Fox News Digital covering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/campus-radicals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">campus extremism<\/a> in higher education.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Follow Peter on X at <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/pmd_reports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">@pmd_reports<\/a>. Send story tips to peter.dabrosca@fox.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! TUCSON, Ariz. \u2014 A high-profile forensic geology company slammed the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":154797,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1855,7106,2362,28,30,29,6888,73046,628],"class_list":{"0":"post-154796","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-florida","8":"tag-arizona","9":"tag-crime-world","10":"tag-fbi","11":"tag-florida","12":"tag-florida-headlines","13":"tag-florida-news","14":"tag-missing-persons","15":"tag-nancy-guthrie","16":"tag-us"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154796","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154796"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154796\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154796"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=154796"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}