Arizona Sheriff’s Dispute with FBI Slows Probe into Abduction of Savannah Guthrie’s Mother

An Arizona sheriff’s refusal to grant the FBI access to key forensic evidence is hampering the federal agency’s ability to assist in the investigation into the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. television journalist Savannah Guthrie, a law enforcement official told Reuters. The FBI had requested physical evidence — including a glove and DNA samples recovered from Guthrie’s home — for analysis at its national crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia. However, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has opted to send the materials to a private laboratory in Florida instead, a move the official said is delaying progress in the case.

The sheriff’s department, which holds primary jurisdiction, stated in a daily update that investigators had recovered “several items of evidence,” including gloves, and that all viable material was being analyzed, but provided no further details. Authorities said Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31 after being dropped home following a family dinner and was reported missing the next day. Given her severely limited mobility and need for daily medication, investigators quickly concluded she had likely been abducted by force. DNA testing later confirmed that blood found on her front porch belonged to her.

The case has grown increasingly urgent as it enters its second week with no confirmed proof of life. Two ransom notes sent to media outlets have surfaced, but both deadlines have passed without further communication. Surveillance footage released Wednesday shows a masked, armed individual attempting to disable Guthrie’s doorbell camera around the time of the abduction, while a black latex glove found roadside is undergoing examination. Authorities have received thousands of tips, and the FBI has doubled its reward to $100,000 for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s location or the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

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