Daijiworld Media Network – New York
New York, May 6: FBI Director Kash Patel has criticised the initial handling of the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie in Arizona, alleging that federal authorities were not fully involved in the early stages of the case.
Speaking on Sean Hannity’s podcast “Hang Out with Sean Hannity”, Patel said the FBI was ready to assist but was kept out of the investigation for several days.
“We, the FBI, say we’re here to help… what do you need? And for four days, we were kept out of the investigation,” Patel said.
However, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos strongly disputed the remarks, stating that the FBI was informed immediately and had already joined the investigation on the night Guthrie went missing. In an official statement, he said FBI Task Force personnel were present at the scene and working alongside local officers.
“The FBI was promptly notified by both our department and the Guthrie family,” Nanos said, adding that the investigation continues in a coordinated and evidence-based manner.
Nancy Guthrie, mother of TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing on February 1 from her residence in the Tucson area. Authorities have suggested she may have been targeted, though no suspects or persons of interest have been publicly identified so far.
Patel also raised concerns about the handling of forensic evidence, particularly DNA samples recovered from the scene. While blood on the porch reportedly matched Guthrie’s DNA, more complex samples from inside the home have been difficult to process.
He further claimed that the FBI could have analysed the evidence more quickly through its national laboratory system, stating that its capabilities are stronger than other private facilities.
In response, Sheriff Nanos said all evidence-related decisions were made based on operational needs, and confirmed that his department continues to work closely with the FBI Laboratory in Quantico for forensic analysis.
Patel also highlighted a key development in the case—the recovery of doorbell camera footage showing an armed, masked individual outside Guthrie’s home on the morning of her disappearance. The FBI reportedly retrieved the footage from backend systems in collaboration with Google and released the images publicly on February 10.
Patel said the footage represents one of the most important leads in the ongoing investigation and credited cooperation between the FBI and Google for its recovery.