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By Hannah Parry
Associate News Editor
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President Donald Trump appeared optimistic as he weighed in on the case of Nancy Guthrie, as the search for the 84-year-old entered its third week.
In a Monday post on Truth Social, Trump praised ex-FBI agent Nicole Parker's explanation of the investigation during an appearance on Fox News.
"Others also, working so hard, with such expertise and knowledge," he added. "Hopefully, there will be a positive result!"
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The Context
Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona, home in the early hours of February 1. A breakthrough in the case occurred last week after investigators released surveillance video of a masked man in gloves tampering with Guthrie’s doorbell camera, sparking a flurry of thousands of tips. On Sunday, the FBI confirmed that DNA had been recovered from a glove found near Guthrie's home, which appears to match the one worn in the surveillance footage.
However, police say they still do not have a suspect, and federal authorities have upped the reward for Guthrie's return or information leading to an arrest in the case to $100,000.
What To Know
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Trump's comments come days after the president claimed that the FBI's involvement in the case had helped advance the investigation. Speaking to reporters before departing the White House for North Carolina on Friday, Trump said the case “was a local case originally,” but that "ultimately when the FBI got involved, I think progress has been made."
On Monday, the president also told the New York Post that he would instruct the Justice Department to seek the death penalty for Guthrie's kidnappers if she is killed.
Trump, who called Savannah directly in the days after her mother's disappearance to offer his support, had previously pledged to send more federal agents to assist with the case, which he called a "terrible thing."
Meanwhile, the FBI has confirmed it has received preliminary DNA results from the glove and is awaiting quality control and official confirmation before attempting to enter an unknown male profile into the national database.
The agency has also released a suspect profile, from the surveillance footage, which describes him as male, about 5 feet, 9 inches or 5 feet 10 inches tall with an average build. The FBI said he was carrying a 25-liter "Ozark Trail Hiker Pack" backpack.
Authorities also seized a Range Rover SUV from a restaurant near the home on Friday in connection with the case, though no arrests were announced.
Pima County Sheriff's Department, which has been conducting the joint investigation with the FBI, has denied reports that the FBI was blocked from accessing key evidence in the case.
"Why would I do that?" Sheriff Chris Nanos told the Daily Mail. "It makes no sense."
Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has any information can contact 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME or tips.fbi.gov.
What People Are Saying
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Friday: “Our hearts break every day that this goes on... The FBI is on the ground wanting to assist in any way that they can."
Trump told reporters on Friday: “Somebody either knew what they were doing very well or they were rank amateurs. Either way, it’s not a good situation.”
Savannah Guthrie said in a video posted on Instagram on Sunday: "We still have hope and we still believe. And I wanted to say to whoever has her or knows where she is, that it's never too late. And you're not lost or alone. And it is never too late to do the right thing. And we are here. And we believe in the essential goodness of every human being, that it’s never too late."
Pima County Sheriff's Department said in a statement on Friday: "All collected evidence has been submitted for laboratory analysis. DNA other than Nancy Guthrie’s and those in close contact to her has been collected from the property. Investigators are working to identify who it belongs to. We are not disclosing where that DNA was located."
What Happens Next
The FBI said it expected official confirmation of DNA results shortly and indicated it would attempt to enter an unknown male profile into its database if validated.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
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