FBI, SWAT Converge Near Nancy Guthrie’s Home as DNA Evidence Tested

By Harshit

TUCSON, ARIZONA — February 14, 2026, 9 AM EDT

A large-scale law enforcement operation unfolded late Friday night just miles from the home of missing Tucson resident Nancy Guthrie, intensifying an investigation that has now entered its second week.

More than a dozen vehicles — including SWAT units, federal evidence trucks and forensic teams — descended on a residential street roughly two miles from Guthrie’s home in the Catalina Foothills. Roads were blocked for nearly four hours before reopening, and investigators were seen processing potential evidence at multiple nearby locations.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the operation directly led to a suspect or breakthrough. However, officials described the activity as connected to the ongoing joint investigation between the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.

A Preplanned Operation, Not a Reactive Response

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According to CNN reporting and eyewitness accounts, the presence of multiple SWAT and forensic units suggested a coordinated and preplanned operation rather than a spontaneous response.

Retired FBI special agent Steve Moore told CNN that such a deployment typically indicates investigators believe they are acting on credible intelligence.

“When you get a line of 20 federal cars, plus all the equipment trucks, this was a preplanned operation,” Moore said. “They must believe it’s a pretty good lead.”

While law enforcement officials have not publicly confirmed arrests or recovered evidence from the scene, the scale of activity has raised expectations of potential developments.

DNA Found at Guthrie Property

Investigators revealed earlier this week that DNA discovered at Nancy Guthrie’s property does not belong to her or individuals known to be close to her. That genetic material is currently undergoing forensic testing.

Additionally, several gloves believed to be connected to the case have been recovered — with one reportedly found as far as 10 miles from Guthrie’s residence.

Authorities have not specified whether the gloves contain biological evidence or how they may connect to the unidentified masked individual previously captured on surveillance footage.

Suspect Description Emerges

The FBI has described the individual seen in doorbell footage as:

• Male
• Approximately 5’9”–5’10” tall
• Average build
• Wearing an Ozark Trail Hiker backpack

Authorities have stressed that this person is considered a subject they are seeking to identify, not yet formally labeled as a suspect.

In surveillance footage released earlier this week, the masked individual appears to approach Guthrie’s front door, tamper with a camera and possibly conceal their face while carrying what investigators believe could be prairie brush.

Law enforcement sources have also indicated the individual may have had a firearm on the front of their belt.

Second Location Investigated

In a separate but nearby development, federal agents were observed processing a gray Range Rover in the parking lot of a Tucson restaurant. The vehicle was photographed and later towed.

Officials have not confirmed whether the vehicle is directly linked to Guthrie’s disappearance, but investigators were seen documenting its interior and trunk area.

No Confirmed Location Yet

Despite heightened activity, authorities have not identified Nancy Guthrie’s whereabouts or confirmed the identity of her abductor.

The 84-year-old was reported missing on February 1. Critical medication was reportedly left behind at her home, increasing urgency around recovery efforts.

The FBI continues to offer a $50,000 reward for information leading to her safe return or a conviction in the case.

Community on Edge

Residents in the Catalina Foothills describe the area as quiet and spread out, with homes separated by distance — making it difficult to detect unusual activity.

“We have a lot of elderly people in this neighborhood,” one neighbor told CNN. “The homes are not right next to each other… it would be very difficult to notice something happening.”

As the investigation intensifies, officials are urging anyone with information to contact the FBI immediately. For now, the case remains open, active and evolving.