FBI Director Kash Patel, Arizona sheriff clash over handling of Nancy Guthrie disappearance

WASHINGTON, DC: FBI Director Kash Patel has sharply criticized local authorities over their handling of the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, claiming federal investigators were initially kept out of the case.

Speaking on 'Hang Out with Sean Hannity' on Wednesday, May 6, Patel alleged that the Pima County Sheriff's Department delayed involving the FBI for several days.

Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Savannah Guthrie, a co-host of the ‘Today’ show, has been missing for more than three months.

She was last seen on January 31 at her home in Tucson and was reported missing the following day after she failed to attend church.

Sheriff disputes claims and says coordination began immediately

Chris Nanos pushed back against Patel’s assertions, calling parts of his account inaccurate. In a statement posted on X, Nanos said that coordination with the FBI began the same night Guthrie was reported missing.

According to the sheriff, a member of an FBI task force was already on the scene, even if Patel himself was not present. “Coordination with the bureau began without delay,” the statement said, underscoring ongoing collaboration between local and federal agencies.

Disagreement over surveillance evidence and DNA analysis

Patel also highlighted what he described as investigative breakthroughs after the FBI became more directly involved. He said agents quickly secured doorbell camera footage and engaged with Google to obtain images of a suspect seen outside Guthrie’s home.

The suspect was described as a man of average build, approximately 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10 in height, wearing a face mask, gloves and carrying a black Ozark Trail backpack.

Further friction emerged over the handling of forensic evidence. Patel criticized the decision not to send DNA samples to the FBI’s laboratory in Quantico, saying a federal aircraft had been ready to transport the evidence immediately.

Nanos, however, defended the department’s approach, stating that decisions regarding evidence processing were made based on operational requirements.

He added that local laboratories and the FBI facility in Quantico have been working in close coordination throughout the investigation.

As the investigation stretches into its fourth month, authorities say there is no evidence linking Guthrie’s family to her disappearance. The case remains active, with both local and federal agencies continuing to pursue leads.