FBI Offered to Fast-Track DNA Evidence in Nancy Guthrie Case, Claims Kash Patel

Kash Patel, former FBI director, disclosed that federal agents were blocked from participating in the Nancy Guthrie case during its critical early stages. He revealed that the FBI had a fixed-wing aircraft on standby to transport DNA evidence to its Quantico lab for urgent analysis but was denied by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.

Patel made these claims during a Tuesday appearance on Sean Hannity’s podcast, “Hang Out,” where he acknowledged widespread frustration over the case’s handling. He emphasized the importance of the first 48 hours in missing persons investigations, stating:

"The first 48 hours of anyone’s disappearance are the most critical. And here’s how these cases work … It’s a state and local law enforcement matter. What we, the FBI, do is say, ‘Hey, we’re here to help. What do you need? What can we do?’ And for four days, we were kept out of the investigation."

Patel continued, explaining how the FBI eventually gained access and secured critical evidence:

"And when we were finally let in … look what we did. We went in and got the Ring doorbell. We said, ‘Hey, is anyone talking to Google?’ I called the leadership at Google and I said, ‘Look, we know that there was not a subscription service to capture all of the data that would have been captured had there been a subscription service. But can we go into the cache? Can we go into the data before it’s deleted and see what we can find?’ That’s why you have that image, because the FBI worked with Google to put that image out."

He lamented that the FBI could have obtained the image and other data days earlier had they not been excluded initially. Regarding the DNA recovered at the scene, Patel revealed that the FBI offered to process it at its world-class lab in Quantico:

"Again, we were saying we’ll process it," Patel recalled. "I launched hundreds of agents and intel staff to Phoenix and Tucson just for this case, just to be on standby, just to do the canvasing. And we said we’ll take the DNA. And again, it’s a state and local matter, so it’s their call on where to send the DNA. We have Quantico, best lab in the world. I had a fixed-wing aircraft on the ground ready to move it immediately through the night … And they said we’re sending it to Florida. They have jurisdiction, so it’s their call."

Patel disagreed with the sheriff’s decision, asserting:

"We would have analyzed it within days and maybe gotten better information or more information. Our lab’s just better than any other private lab out there, and we didn’t get a chance to do that. So, I understand everybody’s frustrations."

Watch Patel’s full remarks below. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has not responded to TheWrap’s request for comment.

Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on the evening of January 31, when family dropped her off at her Tucson, Ariz., home following dinner and a game night. By late-midday on February 1, she was reported missing.