FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed that local authorities in Arizona delayed accepting federal assistance for four days after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie. In an exclusive interview with NewsNation, Patel made clear that the decision to leverage FBI resources rests entirely with local law enforcement.
Guthrie, 78, was reported missing from her home in Pima County, Arizona, on February 1. Investigators believe she was abducted. Despite an extensive search, no suspect has been publicly identified, and Guthrie remains missing.
“We showed up immediately and offered our assistance. We were not let in for four days. And that’s their choice,” Patel told NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich. The FBI director emphasized that the bureau has been ready from day one to provide forensic and investigative support.
Questions have mounted over the handling of the case by Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos. Among the concerns: the department’s decision to send DNA evidence to a private laboratory rather than utilizing the FBI’s forensic resources. “We offered our assistance to go test the DNA. And it’s up to them. They chose to use a private laboratory,” Patel said.
The FBI director underscored the value of federal expertise, pointing to the bureau’s role in extracting images from Guthrie’s Ring doorbell camera. Although the device lacked a paid subscription, FBI analysts worked with Google to access metadata. “What the FBI is great at, what we did when we finally had access to the Ring doorbell camera, for example, we went to our partners at Google and we said, ‘Hey, we know that there wasn’t a paid subscription service, but let’s go look at the metadata and see if we can find a needle in a needle in a needle in a haystack,'” Patel explained.
The bureau remains involved in the investigation, continuing to process tips and leads. Patel noted that he visited the FBI’s Tucson office, where 150 agents and analysts have been dedicated to the case. “We continue to offer assistance,” he said.
For more on how investigative techniques like car tracking and address queries could crack the Nancy Guthrie abduction case, follow our ongoing coverage. Meanwhile, the political backdrop includes Senate Democrats demanding a probe into FBI Director Patel's personal travel and House Democrats seeking subpoenas for Blanche and Patel in the Epstein files probe.
