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Was Nancy Guthrie's body found in a pond in Catalina? Fact checking viral hoax
False claims went viral saying Nancy Guthrie’s body was found near Catalina, but she has not been located. Authorities are awaiting the results of key DNA test.
With the search for Nancy Guthrie continuing, with investigators awaiting key DNA test results, a bizarre claim has gone viral. Social media accounts claim that Nancy Guthrie's body was found at a pond near her home in Catalina, just out of Tucson, Arizona. However, the claims are false, as Nancy Guthrie has not been found.
The news seems to have originated with a YouTube short from an account named @SeanPilant, which contained footage of law enforcement officers seemingly carrying a body. The ticker on top of the footage read Nancy Guthrie's body was found.
The claim circulated on other platforms, as well, with some TikTok videos garnering thousands of views. For instance, here's the YouTube short from @SeanPilant.
Ht.com can confirm that as of February 23, Monday, Nancy Guthrie has not been found. Investigators and volunteers have been looking for her around her home in Catalina for the last 24 days.
As of now, there has been no major breakthrough in the case despite a huge $100,000 reward.
Officials Await Key DNA Result
DNA testing on a mixed sample recovered from remains near Nancy Guthrie's home is pending with a Florida lab, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Sunday. Investigators have cautioned that results may take a significant time -weeks, months, or even up to a year to fully unravel.
The FBI’s CODIS system uses STR DNA, which is mainly for matching a person directly to a criminal database, while SNP DNA is used in genetic genealogy to find possible relatives through a family tree. The complex forensic work would take up time, Sheriff Nanos said.
Nanos also stressed that there are currently no suspects or persons of interest, and no names are being actively pursued. Meanwhile, volunteer searchers spent the weekend combing through Nancy’s neighborhood, hoping to uncover evidence that could help investigators determine her whereabouts or identify a possible abductor.
