Nancy Guthrie Update: FBI Delayed in Nancy Guthrie Search: Four Critical Days Spark Interagency Clash |
TUCSON, Ariz. — Questions continue to swirl around the early handling of the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, as FBI Director Kash Patel publicly claimed the bureau was sidelined for four days after she vanished in late January. Local authorities in Pima County strongly dispute the assertion, insisting federal involvement began promptly.
Guthrie was reported missing on Feb. 1 from her home in the Catalina Foothills area near Tucson. She had last been seen the evening of Jan. 31 when a family member dropped her off after dinner. She failed to arrive at a friend's house the next morning for an online church service. The case has been treated as an apparent abduction, with no arrests announced more than three months later.
Patel raised concerns during a May 5 appearance on Sean Hannity's podcast, stating that critical early hours were lost due to limited FBI access. "The first 48 hours of anyone's disappearance are the most critical," Patel said. "What we, the FBI, do is say, 'Hey, we're here to help. What do you need? What can we do?' And for four days, we were kept out of the investigation."
Once engaged, Patel said the FBI secured footage from Guthrie's Ring doorbell camera showing a masked and armed individual outside her home on the morning she disappeared. The bureau also reached out directly to Google regarding potential data from the device. He further noted that the FBI........