Savannah Guthrie’s mother missing

[Mizzoufan]

I feel like Sheriff needs sensitive training.

 

[RangerPooh]

The news made the Ozark Trail backpack sound like some rare, groundbreaking clue — when most people know that’s just a Walmart brand. It’s not exactly rocket science figuring out where it was purchased. Now the specific store of purchase woudl be a bit mroe challenging.

Sarcasm aside, I do have questions. Why aren’t we hearing more about investigators checking neighbors’ home cameras, traffic or intersection cameras, etc.? If her driveway is dirt, were there tire tracks? It just feels like one of those investigations where important early steps might have been missed.

 

[mom2rtk]

The news made the Ozark Trail backpack sound like some rare, groundbreaking clue — when most people know that’s just a Walmart brand. It’s not exactly rocket science figuring out where it was purchased. Now the specific store of purchase woudl be a bit mroe challenging.

Sarcasm aside, I do have questions. Why aren’t we hearing more about investigators checking neighbors’ home cameras, traffic or intersection cameras, etc.? If her driveway is dirt, were there tire tracks? It just feels like one of those investigations where important early steps might have been missed.

Or maybe (hopefully?) they are holding back some important details until the investigation is complete.

 

[lanejudy]

Or maybe (hopefully?) they are holding back some important details until the investigation is complete.

Exactly. The general public is not owed specifics or regular updates of this investigation. That can make their job more difficult.

 

[Imzadi]

The sheriff has been quoted saying this search could take years. I can’t imagine how the family feels hearing that.

I don't think anyone in his capacity could prepare for all the media/ continuously,/day after day like this. For an everyday person missing, this isn't much more than a blip by now. Eventually, the media will have to let this go, unless of course new discoveries are made.

This isn't the Sheriff's first high profile, public case. Back in 2011, he was the Criminal Investigations Division Captain during the investigation for congresswoman Gabby Gifford's shooting to her head.

But, it appears he's decided not to work WITH the FBI on the Nancy Guthrie case.

According to Reuters on last Thursday, (11 days into the case):

"Arizona sheriff blocks FBI access to evidence in Nancy Guthrie abduction, source says"​

​

https://www.reuters.com/business/fi...uthrie-abduction-case-source-says-2026-02-13/​

​

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - An Arizona sheriff is blocking FBI access to key evidence in the investigation into the abduction of U.S. television journalist Savannah Guthrie's mother, impairing its ability to assist in the probe, a U.S. law enforcement official with knowledge of the case told Reuters on Thursday.​

​

The FBI asked Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos for physical evidence in the case, including a glove and DNA from the home of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, to be processed at the FBI's national crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, but Nanos has insisted instead on using a private lab in Florida, the official said.​

​

Nanos did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters. But in an interview with Tucson television station KVOA late on Thursday, he said the FBI agreed with his decision to send newly discovered evidence to the lab, which has worked with his office for years.​

​

The U.S. law enforcement official said outsourcing forensic analysis to a Florida contractor, effectively denying the access of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to crucial evidence in the case, is delaying the FBI's ability to assist in the case."​

A county has primary jurisdiction over the case and FBI assistance must be officially requested by the county, the family or if the crime crosses state lines, which then makes it a federal crime and it becomes the FBI's case.

The first few days, the Sheriff may have considered it a local abduction, and even when he realized it was a very high profile case, being as it's Savannah's mother, he didn't call in the FBI.

However, when it became clear to Savannah that the Sheriff was suspecting her BIL or other family, by not properly securing the crime scene down and instead searched her sister & BIL's home TWICE, she may have asked the FBI in on the investigation and to work with her.

And/or when what seemed like a credible ransom note was sent to TMZ headquarters in California, that possibly turned it into an FBI case. TMZ did confirm they got calls from the FBI about the notes they received and have been cooperating.

Most telling is an interview where the Sheriff ADMITS he didn't even KNOW ahead of time that Savannah & her siblings made their first public plea directly to the kidnappers, with the FBI's help and probable coaching on what to say. His WIFE shared it with him on Facebook after she saw it. Savannah's not working with, or it seems even talking to the Sheriff as to what she and the family are doing. She's working with the FBI who has worked on thousands of abductions.

The very fact that the Sheriff said the investigation could take years means he clearly thinks Nancy is dead and this is now a recovery for her body and arrest of the kidnappers, whenever that may possibly be. So, he's already working differently than he would if he still thought it may be viable to get Nancy back alive. Or get the kidnappers soon.

 

[brockash]

This isn't the Sheriff's first high profile, public case. Back in 2011, he was the Criminal Investigations Division Captain during the investigation for congresswoman Gabby Gifford's shooting to her head.

But, it appears he's decided not to work WITH the FBI on the Nancy Guthrie case.

According to Reuters on last Thursday, (11 days into the case):

"Arizona sheriff blocks FBI access to evidence in Nancy Guthrie abduction, source says"​

​

https://www.reuters.com/business/fi...uthrie-abduction-case-source-says-2026-02-13/​

​

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - An Arizona sheriff is blocking FBI access to key evidence in the investigation into the abduction of U.S. television journalist Savannah Guthrie's mother, impairing its ability to assist in the probe, a U.S. law enforcement official with knowledge of the case told Reuters on Thursday.​

​

The FBI asked Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos for physical evidence in the case, including a glove and DNA from the home of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, to be processed at the FBI's national crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, but Nanos has insisted instead on using a private lab in Florida, the official said.​

​

Nanos did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters. But in an interview with Tucson television station KVOA late on Thursday, he said the FBI agreed with his decision to send newly discovered evidence to the lab, which has worked with his office for years.​

​

The U.S. law enforcement official said outsourcing forensic analysis to a Florida contractor, effectively denying the access of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to crucial evidence in the case, is delaying the FBI's ability to assist in the case."​

A county has primary jurisdiction over the case and FBI assistance must be officially requested by the county, the family or if the crime crosses state lines, which then makes it a federal crime and it becomes the FBI's case.

The first few days, the Sheriff may have considered it a local abduction, and even when he realized it was a very high profile case, being as it's Savannah's mother, he didn't call in the FBI.

However, when it became clear to Savannah that the Sheriff was suspecting her BIL or other family, by not properly securing the crime scene down and instead searched her sister & BIL's home TWICE, she may have asked the FBI in on the investigation and to work with her.

And/or when what seemed like a credible ransom note was sent to TMZ headquarters in California, that possibly turned it into an FBI case. TMZ did confirm they got calls from the FBI about the notes they received and have been cooperating.

Most telling is an interview where the Sheriff ADMITS he didn't even KNOW ahead of time that Savannah & her siblings made their first public plea directly to the kidnappers, with the FBI's help and probable coaching on what to say. His WIFE shared it with him on Facebook after she saw it. Savannah's not working with, or it seems even talking to the Sheriff as to what she and the family are doing. She's working with the FBI who has worked on thousands of abductions.

The very fact that the Sheriff said the investigation could take years means he clearly thinks Nancy is dead and this is now a recovery for her body and arrest of the kidnappers, whenever that may possibly be. So, he's already working differently than he would if he still thought it may be viable to get Nancy back alive. Or get the kidnappers soon.

Unfortunately with the state if our country; he may not trust the FBI currently and/or there may have been things done/said etc. that went against how he believed and has experienced investigations going. Obviously if he worked with them before without issue, then I don't see him not working them for this for no reason (between he and the government; I'd guess the government is the change from back when it was Gifford investigation). I also think ppl. are taking his comment about years out of context (I did too until I watched the video). He seemed to be answering a question about when he expects to find her, which obviiously no one working the case honestly, would know and he said it could be an hour from now, days, weeks or even years. He sounded frustrated, not like he was throwing in the towel.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

This isn't the Sheriff's first high profile, public case. Back in 2011, he was the Criminal Investigations Division Captain during the investigation for congresswoman Gabby Gifford's shooting to her head.

But, it appears he's decided not to work WITH the FBI on the Nancy Guthrie case.

According to Reuters on last Thursday, (11 days into the case):

"Arizona sheriff blocks FBI access to evidence in Nancy Guthrie abduction, source says"​

​

https://www.reuters.com/business/fi...uthrie-abduction-case-source-says-2026-02-13/​

​

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - An Arizona sheriff is blocking FBI access to key evidence in the investigation into the abduction of U.S. television journalist Savannah Guthrie's mother, impairing its ability to assist in the probe, a U.S. law enforcement official with knowledge of the case told Reuters on Thursday.​

​

The FBI asked Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos for physical evidence in the case, including a glove and DNA from the home of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, to be processed at the FBI's national crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, but Nanos has insisted instead on using a private lab in Florida, the official said.​

​

Nanos did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters. But in an interview with Tucson television station KVOA late on Thursday, he said the FBI agreed with his decision to send newly discovered evidence to the lab, which has worked with his office for years.​

​

The U.S. law enforcement official said outsourcing forensic analysis to a Florida contractor, effectively denying the access of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to crucial evidence in the case, is delaying the FBI's ability to assist in the case."​

A county has primary jurisdiction over the case and FBI assistance must be officially requested by the county, the family or if the crime crosses state lines, which then makes it a federal crime and it becomes the FBI's case.

The first few days, the Sheriff may have considered it a local abduction, and even when he realized it was a very high profile case, being as it's Savannah's mother, he didn't call in the FBI.

However, when it became clear to Savannah that the Sheriff was suspecting her BIL or other family, by not properly securing the crime scene down and instead searched her sister & BIL's home TWICE, she may have asked the FBI in on the investigation and to work with her.

And/or when what seemed like a credible ransom note was sent to TMZ headquarters in California, that possibly turned it into an FBI case. TMZ did confirm they got calls from the FBI about the notes they received and have been cooperating.

Most telling is an interview where the Sheriff ADMITS he didn't even KNOW ahead of time that Savannah & her siblings made their first public plea directly to the kidnappers, with the FBI's help and probable coaching on what to say. His WIFE shared it with him on Facebook after she saw it. Savannah's not working with, or it seems even talking to the Sheriff as to what she and the family are doing. She's working with the FBI who has worked on thousands of abductions.

The very fact that the Sheriff said the investigation could take years means he clearly thinks Nancy is dead and this is now a recovery for her body and arrest of the kidnappers, whenever that may possibly be. So, he's already working differently than he would if he still thought it may be viable to get Nancy back alive. Or get the kidnappers soon.

Thanks, I didn't know!