Nancy Guthrie Update Kash Patel Launches Fresh Attack On Local Authorities Amid Probe They Chose To Use

Four months following the vanishing of Nancy Guthrie, no suspect has been identified, and FBI Director Kash Patel informed NewsNation in an exclusive interview that the decision to utilize FBI assistance rests with local authorities.

Authorities suspect that Guthrie was kidnapped from her residence in Arizona -before her being reported missing on February 1, 2026.

In a conversation with NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich, Patel stated that the agency has been involved since the very first day, providing support in the investigation concerning the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of TV anchor Savannah Guthrie.

“We showed up immediately and offered our assistance. We were not let in for four days. And that’s their choice,” Patel said in reference to local law enforcement.

As time has elapsed without any suspect being identified and with Nancy Guthrie still unaccounted for, concerns have emerged regarding the choices made by Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.

One issue raised was the manner in which the department managed evidence, particularly the decision to send DNA evidence to a private laboratory for analysis.

“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 noted that when local authorities leverage the expertise of the FBI, it can lead to significant outcomes, referencing images of a suspect obtained from a camera located at Guthrie’s residence.

“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,'” he stated.

The FBI remains committed to providing support in the ongoing investigation, Patel stated, as detectives diligently examine leads in the pursuit of solving the case.

“We continue to offer assistance,” Patel said. “I even visited our Tucson office, where we had 150 agents and analysts working on the Nancy Guthrie race to provide intelligence.”

Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More