An Arizona sheriff is preventing the FBI from obtaining crucial evidence in its investigation into the kidnapping of the mother of US television journalist Savannah Guthrie, hampering the agency’s ability to support the case, a US law enforcement official familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday (local time).
Here’s what the official said
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 lab in Quantico, Virginia, but Nanos instead insisted on using a private lab in Florida, the official said, according to Reuters.
Outsourcing forensic analysis to a Florida contractor, effectively denying the FBI access to key evidence in the case, is delaying the FBI’s ability to help with the case, according to the official.
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A sheriff’s spokesman did not immediately respond to an emailed request from Reuters for comment.
At an earlier daily press briefing, the sheriff’s department said investigators had “recovered several pieces of evidence, including the gloves,” adding that all usable evidence had been sent for analysis. The ministry did not provide further details.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office has primary jurisdiction over the case, meaning the FBI can only get involved if formally invited by the county; without such a request, the office is precluded by law from participating in the investigation. The official added that the county has spent about $200,000 so far to send evidence in the Guthrie case to a lab in Florida, Reuters reported.
“There is a risk of further slowing down the case, which is becoming more urgent by the minute,” the official told Reuters, referring to unspecified “earlier setbacks” in the investigation.
The official also criticized the sheriff for not seeking the FBI’s help in the investigation sooner.
“It is clear that the fastest path to answers is the use of federal resources and technology. Anything less only prolongs the Guthrie family’s grief and the community’s wait for justice,” the official said.
Tensions between the FBI and the Sheriff’s Department have surfaced as the manhunt for Nancy Guthrie enters its 12th day, with investigators stepping up their efforts to find leads in what is believed to be a kidnapping for ransom.
Read also | Nancy Guthrie case: 3rd ransom emerges as FBI raises reward to $100,000
Authorities said Nancy Guthrie was last seen on Jan. 31 when family members dropped her off at her home after dinner. Relatives reported her missing the next day, Reuters reported.
The sheriff said the elder Guthrie had very limited mobility and would not have been able to travel far from her home on her own, prompting investigators to quickly determine that she had likely been forcibly abducted.
Thousands of tips
Officials said last week that DNA tests confirmed the blood found on her front porch belonged to Guthrie. Law enforcement and family members described her as frail and dependent on daily medication to survive.
At least two alleged ransoms have surfaced since Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. Both were first sent to the news servers and deadlines were set, which have since passed. However, no evidence that he is alive has been released since the abduction.
Savannah Guthrie, 54, co-anchor of the popular NBC News morning show “Today,” has released several video messages with her brother and sister appealing for the return of their mother’s kidnapper, pleading with the public for help in solving the case and even declaring a willingness to meet ransom demands, Reuters reported.
Footage from the doorbell camera has been released
In a major development Wednesday, authorities released footage from a doorbell camera at Nancy Guthrie’s home near Tucson that shows an armed individual wearing a ski mask and gloves trying to disable the camera.
The video was taken around the time investigators believe Guthrie was forcibly taken from her residence.
According to a former FBI agent, investigators likely intended to use facial recognition technology on the footage to create a composite image of the suspect, which could then be compared to a national database that includes U.S. drivers with Real ID licenses, according to Reuters.
A black latex glove discarded on the side of the road has been recovered and is undergoing forensic examination, law enforcement officials said Thursday.
The FBI on Thursday doubled the reward offered for information leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie or the arrest and conviction of the suspect in her kidnapping to $100,000.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Key things
- Conflict between local law enforcement and federal authorities can significantly impede criminal investigations.
- Timely access to forensic evidence is critical in kidnapping cases, especially when time is of the essence.
- Family involvement and public appeals can play a vital role in generating awareness and potential leads in high-profile kidnapping cases.