FBI Says Local Officials Delayed Assistance in Nancy Guthrie Case Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie, an 84-year-old woman and mother of TV anchor Savannah Guthrie, was abducted from her Arizona home before being reported missing on February 1, 2026. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) spokesperson Patel addressed the agency’s involvement in the case during an interview with NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich, revealing that the FBI had offered assistance from the outset but faced significant delays in accessing critical information. Patel emphasized that the FBI’s presence was immediate, but local law enforcement in Pima County, Arizona, restricted their involvement for four days, a decision Patel described as “their choice.” The prolonged absence of a suspect and the ongoing disappearance of Guthrie have raised questions about the handling of the investigation by Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos. One major point of contention involves the sheriff’s decision to send DNA evidence to a private laboratory rather than utilizing federal resources. Patel explained that the FBI had proposed testing the DNA but was denied access, with the local department opting for a private lab instead. “We offered our assistance to go test the DNA. And it’s up to them. They chose to use a private laboratory,” Patel stated. Patel highlighted the FBI’s expertise in leveraging technology to aid investigations, citing an example involving a suspect identified through a Ring doorbell camera at Guthrie’s home. When local authorities initially failed to retrieve useful data from the camera, the FBI collaborated with Google to analyze metadata, despite the absence of a paid subscription.#fbi #nancy_guthrie #pima_county #chris_nanos #katie_pavlich
