Patel clashes with Arizona sheriff over Nancy Guthrie probe, claims FBI was kept 'out of the loop'

FBI Director Kash Patel criticized Arizona's Pima County Sheriff's Department Tuesday for keeping his bureau out of the loop in the early days of the Nancy Guthrie investigation, despite the first 48-hours of a disappearance being the most critical.

Authorities are still searching for the 84-year-old, who was reported missing around noon Feb. 1 after she did not show up for virtual church services. She was last seen the previous night after having dinner at her daughter's home in Tucson.

Patel told Fox News host Sean Hannity on his "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast that the FBI was sidelined by the local sheriff's department for four days while time was of the essence in the first days of Guthrie's disappearance.

"What we, the FBI, do is say, ‘Hey, we're here to help. What do you need? What can we do?’" Patel said. "For four days, we were kept out of the investigation."

Patel also criticized Sheriff Chris Nanos for not utilizing the bureau's lab in Quantico, Virginia, to analyze DNA evidence and instead used a private lab in Florida.

"The first 48 hours of anyone's disappearance are the most critical," Patel said. "We would have analyzed it within days and maybe gotten better information — more information. Our lab is just better than any other private lab out there, and we didn't get a chance to do that."

Nanos rejected Patel's characterization of the investigation, stating that although Patel was not in Arizona, the sheriff's department quickly clued the bureau into its probe.

"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," Nanos told Fox News. 

"A member of the FBI Task Force was also notified and present at that scene working alongside our personnel. The FBI was promptly notified by both our department and the Guthrie family," he continued. "While the FBI Director was not on scene, coordination with the Bureau began without delay."

The comments come as the bureau and sheriff's department continue their search for Guthrie. Anyone who has tips or information about the case is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or the sheriff's department at 520-351-4900.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.