Kash Patel claimed the FBI was shut out of a critical early phase of the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today Show” host Savannah Guthrie.
Speaking on a podcast hosted by Sean Hannity, Patel said: “We were kept out of the investigation for four days. The most critical are the first 48 hours when someone goes missing.”
Nancy Guthrie has been missing since February 1st and authorities believe she was taken from her home in Tucson, Arizona.
Local authorities hit back
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office sharply disputed Patel’s account, saying there was no delay in the FBI’s involvement. In an official statement, the department emphasized: “A member of the FBI task force working alongside our staff was also notified and was present on the scene. The FBI was immediately notified … coordination with the agency began without delay.”
Sheriff Chris Nanos was also defended for his leadership at the scene, noting that operational decisions were made in real time based on investigative needs.
Disagreement over handling of forensic evidence
Patel criticized the decision to send the DNA evidence to a private lab in Florida rather than the FBI facility in Quantico, Virginia: “We have Quantico, the best lab in the world. . . . I had a plane ready to move him immediately overnight.”
However, the sheriff’s office maintained that the two labs worked closely together: “The lab used … and the FBI lab at Quantico have worked closely together from the beginning.”
The role of the FBI in securing suspect records
Patel also highlighted the FBI’s involvement in obtaining key visual evidence. According to him, the bureau worked with Google to retrieve cached footage showing the suspicious tampering with the camera at Guthrie’s front door: “That’s why you have that image because the FBI worked with Google to release that image.”
Ongoing investigation
Despite the public disagreement, both federal and local authorities say they remain committed to a coordinated investigation. Officials stress that cooperation is ongoing as forensics and leads are followed up.
“We remain committed to a thorough, coordinated and fact-based investigation,” the sheriff’s office said.
