What To Know
- Attorney General Todd Blanche expressed frustration over the ongoing six-month investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
- Blanche stated that while the FBI is supporting the investigation it may not be appropriate for them to fully take over.
- Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos recently reaffirmed that the case ‘is not cold.’
As the Nancy Guthrie investigation continues well into its six month, with no updates on her whereabouts or potential suspects, new Attorney General Todd Blanche weighed in on the case.
Speaking to Kristen Welker on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday (August 16), Blanche described the situation as “horrible” and said he feels the same “frustration” as the rest of the country over how long the case is taking to be solved.
“It’s a horrible situation. And I share the grief and the frustration that you and your colleagues have, and the whole country has, in this situation,” Blanche told Welker when she asked him if it was time for the FBI to take the lead in the investigation.
He continued, “I think whether the FBI takes the lead, we are there to support. And President [Donald] Trump pledged it, [FBI] Director [Kash] Patel pledged it; the resources, anything that that investigation needs, we are working as hard as we can with the state and local law enforcement in every area. And that means not only providing assistance with manpower, but any sort of forensic assistance.”
Nancy, the 84-year-old mother of Today’s Savannah Guthrie, went missing on February 1, when police believe she was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona. Investigators have released doorbell camera footage of a masked suspect and sent DNA for testing at the FBI lab in Quantico, but no suspects have been named publicly.
Blanche said that it isn’t “necessarily the right thing to do for [Nancy] or for anybody” for the FBI to come in “with sharp elbows” to “take over.”
“But making sure it’s done right and making sure that this investigation is being conducted the way that it should be is something we’re doing,” he added.
As for whether he had an update on the investigation, Blanche said he was “sorry to say” he didn’t. “I wish I had an update… and I know that this type of case is heartbreaking, especially when it plays out nationally, like this one has,” he stated.
“All I can say is Director Patel and his leadership, and the leadership out in that area of the country, it will remain a priority, as it should, with resources and with energy and with focus,” Blanche concluded. “And we hope that we get something soon.”
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Chris Nanos, is leading the investigation. In July, Nanos responded to a report from the Wall Street Journal raising concerns about the FBI’s response and dedication to the case.
“I can assure everybody that we are working hard every day with all of our partners,” Nanos told the outlet, including “corporate America [which has] offered up some assistance with some of the brightest minds in this country.” He also reiterated, “This case is not cold.”