Kash Patel skewers Nancy Guthrie case, says FBI has been 'kept out'
Kash Patel skewers Nancy Guthrie case, says FBI has been 'kept out'
KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY Wed, May 6, 2026 at 1:20 AM UTC
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Three months into the search for Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, FBI Director Kash Patel criticized Arizona law enforcement for its handling of the 84-year-old's suspected kidnapping.
On the May 5 episode of Sean Hannity's "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast, Patel agreed with the Fox News personality's assertion that the Pima County Sheriff's Department attempted "to keep [the FBI] out" early in the case, which unfolded after Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her Arizona home on Feb. 1.
"The first 48 hours of anyone's disappearance are the most critical," Patel said. "For four days, we were kept out of the investigation. And when we were finally let in, Sean, look what we did."
Patel noted that on Feb. 10, the FBI released footage from Nancy Guthrie's front doorbell, which had previously been "inaccessible," showing an "armed" person tampering with the device. Based on the images, the agency described the suspect in the case as "a male, approximately 5'9" - 5'10" tall, with an average build."
"That's why you have that image, because the FBI worked with Google to put that image out," Patel told Hannity, claiming he'd called Google's leadership team himself.
The FBI also offered to send DNA evidence collected by the sheriff's office to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, Patel claimed. But the sheriff's department sent the evidence to a private lab in Florida.
"They have jurisdiction, so it's their call," Patel said.
Pima County Sheriff pushes back against Kash Patel's claims of excluding the FBI
In a statement provided to USA TODAY May 5, the Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed "Sheriff Chris Nanos is aware of FBI Director Kash Patel’s recent interview and statement."
"Sheriff Nanos responded to the scene the night of the incident, providing immediate local leadership and oversight. A member of the FBI Task Force was also notified and present at that scene working alongside our personnel," the statement continued. "The FBI was promptly notified by both our department and the Guthrie family. While the FBI Director was not on scene, coordination with the Bureau began without delay."
The statement added, "Decisions regarding evidence processing were made on scene based on operational needs. The laboratory utilized by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI Laboratory in Quantico have worked in close partnership from the outset and continue to collaborate in the analysis of evidence."
The Pima County Sheriff's Department said in closing that it remains "committed to a thorough, coordinated, and fact-based investigation and will continue working closely with our federal partners as the process moves forward."
The investigation into Guthrie's abduction has produced various DNA evidence — from dried blood droplets on the tile at Nancy Guthrie’s entrance to multiple pairs of gloves — but so far has yielded no additional information. Gloves discovered near Nancy Guthrie's home, which resembled those worn by the suspect and were once seen as a possible lead in the investigation, ultimately resulted in a dead end.
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Law enforcement previously confirmed the discovery of DNA in Nancy Guthrie's home that does not belong to her or her inner circle. They have not provided updates on the analysis.
Nancy Guthrie has not been seen since Jan. 31. The Pima County Sheriff's Department has said they believe she was taken from her home outside of Tucson, Arizona, against her will. A reward totaling more than $1.2 million has been offered for information leading to her recovery.
Pima County Sheriff previously said claims of 'blocking' FBI were 'far from the truth'
Nanos previously maintained that his office has been cooperating with federal law enforcement agencies in Nancy Guthrie's case. Two weeks into the investigation, he pushed back against speculation that his office blocked access to "key evidence," Reuters reported on Feb. 12.
"The FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Department are connected at the hip," Nanos told NBC News on Feb. 13. "Decisions are made sometimes with a good discussion about why things need to go one way or another. … They're really not my decision. They are our team's decisions."
"In this case of blocking evidence from the FBI, that's just so far from the truth," he added. "We processed our crime scene, took all of our evidence that morning – it wasn't days later that we contacted … the FBI – [and] we said, 'Hey, we've got some digital analysis that you guys can really help with."
Nanos continued: "They said, 'Sure, whatever you want.' We gave that to them. The rest of the evidence we sent to our lab. This is a lab we've been using for 30, 40 years now."
But during a Feb. 5 news conference, Nanos admitted he would have made different decisions in hindsight, including keeping Nancy Guthrie's home cordoned longer to search for more clues.
"We got what we thought was complete," he said. "I have to have all faith and trust in [my agents'] abilities and skills."
In an April 16 statement, the sheriff's department told USA TODAY that they shared info with the FBI lab "all along."
Patel has been under criticism in recent weeks following a report in The Atlantic magazine alleging that he engaged in excessive drinking and his behavior could jeopardize national security. Patel — who's sued the magazine — denied being "intoxicated on the job," and the White House has expressed President Donald Trump still has "confidence" in the FBI director.
Law enforcement asks anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov, the Pima County Sheriff's Department (520-351-4900) or 88-CRIME.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kash Patel rips Nancy Guthrie investigation, claims FBI 'kept out'
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