Dan Bongino slams Pima County sheriff for not using FBI tech in Nancy Guthrie probe: 'Zero sense'

TUCSON, ARIZONA: Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) deputy director Dan Bongino said it "makes zero sense" that federal technical resources are not being fully used in the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, as he joined Sean Hannity to discuss the case on Tuesday, February 17.

Appearing on Fox News, where he is a regular contributor, Bongino questioned recent comments from the Pima County sheriff suggesting it could take months or even years to solve the case.

Dan Bongino questions DNA processing in Nancy Guthrie case

 Hannity said the timeline estimate troubled him, noting the urgency surrounding the disappearance of the 84-year-old woman.

“I’m not sure why you would say that,” Bongino responded. “I mean, it really destroys the morale of the people trying to find Nancy”.

Bongino also criticized the decision to send DNA evidence to a private laboratory rather than directly to the FBI.

“The decision to send the DNA sample to a private lab was just disastrous,” he said. While acknowledging that private labs are sometimes used, he explained that complications can arise depending on accreditation and federal processing requirements.

“The problem is the FBI does not typically accept DNA once the sample is properly processed from private labs. It has to be typically an accredited forensics lab,” Bongino said.

“So what you’re looking at now is another delay as the private lab will likely have to send it back to Arizona to submit it.”

He added “I mean, just send it to the FBI lab. Why introduce another variable you don’t need in this?”

Dan Bongino bashes sheriff for not taking FBI's help 

At the same time, Bongino emphasized that the issue was not about one agency being “better” than another. Drawing on his experience with the NYPD, FBI and Secret Service, he described the difference as one of specialization.

“When it comes to technical expertise, the FBI has the specialization of labor where that is exactly what those people do and it’s only what they do,” he said.

“You have people in our digital enhancement video teams, that’s all they do is enhance digital video. It’s not a better or worse thing at all. It’s just a matter of specialization of labor.”

“That’s why it doesn’t make any sense that this sheriff out there is not taking advantage of specific taxpayer-funded- the FBI specialize in,” Bongino continued. “Makes zero sense.”

Digital tools and outside tips

Hannity pointed to what he described as a major evidentiary breakthrough involving recovered video footage, asking whether such capabilities likely came from federal involvement.

Bongino declined to discuss certain technologies in detail, saying, “I really wish that Blue Fly technology would not have gotten out there. That is not the kind of tech you want exposed to the public.”

On reports that TMZ founder Harvey Levin had received emails from someone claiming to know Guthrie’s whereabouts in exchange for money, Hannity questioned why authorities had not tracked the sender.

Bongino urged caution about assumptions. “The FBI is not in the habit of turning down information,” he said. 

“If Harvey Levin or TMZ has information and they can get it and pass it off to the FBI, they will take it from anyone.”

He added that chain-of-custody issues can arise with evidence, but stressed “No one is interested in credit. Who cares about credit? Let’s just find this woman or find the perp and get this thing solved”.