As the investigation enters its fourth week, authorities have not publicly identified any suspect or person of interest. Law enforcement officials confirmed that all three of Guthrie’s adult children and their spouses were cleared after preliminary scrutiny of their potential involvement.
The family has announced a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to Guthrie’s safe return. Separately, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has offered an additional $100,000 reward in exchange for credible information.
Earlier forensic analysis of DNA collected from gloves discovered approximately two miles from Guthrie’s home did not match records stored in the FBI’s national DNA registry, known as the Combined DNA Index System.
Authorities are now relying partly on genetic genealogy methods to assist the investigation. This technique compares unknown DNA samples with data stored in public genealogy databases to identify possible relatives of an unidentified individual.
Experts say law enforcement agencies typically use consent-based platforms such as GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA when conducting investigative searches. Participation in such systems is voluntary, and users can choose whether their genetic data is accessible to authorities.
