The DNA analysis process in the Nancy Guthrie case is proceeding with urgency, but is bound by established protocols, according to retired FBI agent Jason Pack. Evidence undergoing testing at a private Florida laboratory must undergo multiple reviews in Arizona before it can be entered into the FBI’s national CODIS database.
DNA Testing Process in Guthrie Case
Pack, while noting he is not a DNA expert, explained he learned the process during his time as an agent. The DNA is currently being tested by a private forensic laboratory in Florida, though the investigation is led by Pima County, Arizona.
“That matters, because DNA does not move straight from a private lab to the FBI,” Pack said. “There’s no doubt they know the urgency and are fast tracking without cutting corners. We heard tonight that they are finishing their quality checks at the private lab.”
The process begins with investigators in Arizona sending biological evidence to the Florida lab for testing. Lab workers then extract the DNA and create a DNA profile, which is a series of numbers based on genetic markers, not a name.
Testing can take days or weeks, depending on the condition of the evidence. Once complete, the DNA profile is sent to Pima County, as they own the case, and cannot be directly uploaded into the national system by the lab.
Instead, the profile must be transmitted securely and handled by a certified CODIS laboratory, typically a government lab authorized by the FBI. Pima County would normally send the profile to Arizona’s state crime lab for review to ensure testing adhered to FBI standards and documentation is complete.
“Only after that review, or if Pima County formally asks the FBI to take responsibility sooner, can the DNA move to the FBI,” Pack said. “If the FBI assumes submission responsibility, it can upload the profile directly into the national database. That removes one layer, but it still isn’t instant. The FBI still conducts its own quality checks.”
Once in CODIS, the profile can only be compared to existing DNA in the system, such as that from convicted offenders or other crime scenes. A match will not occur if the person connected to the case has never been in CODIS.
“Because the lab is in Florida and the case belongs to Arizona, there are multiple handoffs before anything goes national,” Pack said. “Even when everything moves smoothly, investigators are usually talking about weeks, not days. If the DNA goes through the full Arizona review process first, a month or more is realistic.”
Pack emphasized that the process, while potentially lengthy, is being conducted carefully and with urgency, following the established system.
Discover more from Archyworldys
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
