FBI Director Criticizes Local Probe of Missing TV Anchor Mother

Four months after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of television anchor Savannah Guthrie, federal officials have publicly questioned the handling of the investigation by local authorities, revealing tensions over evidence processing and initial access. Guthrie was reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona home on February 1, 2026, and no suspect has been named.

In a recent interview, FBI Director Kash Patel stated that federal agents offered assistance immediately but were not granted full access to the investigation for four days. He also disclosed that approximately 150 FBI agents and analysts in Tucson have provided intelligence support for the case. A point of contention involves the handling of DNA evidence. Patel said the FBI offered to analyze samples at its laboratory in Quantico but that the Pima County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Chris Nanos, opted to use a private laboratory in Florida instead.

The Pima County Sheriff's Office has pushed back against the characterization of a delayed or uncoordinated response. In a statement, the department said a member of an FBI Task Force was notified and present on the night Guthrie disappeared,...