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Quantico Today
By the People, for the People
Law Enforcement Criticized for Handling of Savannah Guthrie's Mom Abduction Case
Nancy Grace claims local authorities are 'risking' the investigation by conflicting with the FBI
Published on Feb. 13, 2026
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Legal commentator Nancy Grace has criticized the Pima County Sheriff's Department for their handling of the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie. Grace claims the department is 'risking' the case by sending evidence to a private lab in Florida instead of the FBI's lab in Quantico, Virginia, and that the sheriff attended a basketball game during the search. The sheriff's department has defended its actions, saying it has a long-standing relationship with the Florida lab and that all decisions are being made in coordination with the FBI.
Why it matters
The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, a high-profile case involving the mother of a national news anchor, has raised concerns about the competence and coordination of the law enforcement agencies involved. Grace's criticism highlights the importance of a thorough and transparent investigation, especially when dealing with a sensitive case that has garnered significant public attention.
The details
According to reports, the Pima County Sheriff's Department has been sending physical evidence from the case to be tested at a private lab in Florida, rather than the FBI's lab in Quantico, Virginia. Grace claims this could risk the investigation, as the private lab may use up limited DNA evidence in its testing. The sheriff's department has defended its actions, saying it has a long-standing relationship with the Florida lab and that all decisions are being made in coordination with the FBI. The department also noted that the FBI only wanted to send a few key pieces of evidence to its own lab, but the department insisted on sending all the evidence to the Florida lab where the DNA profiles and markers already exist.
- Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31, 2026.
- On February 7, 2026, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos attended a University of Arizona men's basketball game.
- On February 12, 2026, a suspicious black glove was found near the crime scene.
The players
Nancy Grace
A 66-year-old legal commentator who has criticized the Pima County Sheriff's Department's handling of the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case.
Chris Nanos
The Pima County Sheriff who has defended his department's actions, saying all decisions are being made in coordination with the FBI.
Savannah Guthrie
The host of the Today show and the daughter of the missing Nancy Guthrie.
Pima County Sheriff's Department
The local law enforcement agency leading the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.
FBI
The federal law enforcement agency assisting in the investigation of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.
What they’re saying
“There are cases where DNA is sent to a particular lab, a specialty lab, a lab that could have expertise in diluted, destroyed, old, degenerated DNA. But even if that's why he's hanging his hat on an excuse to send it to a private lab in Florida, they don't have anything that the FBI doesn't have, so that's not going to wash.”
— Nancy Grace, Legal Commentator (Fox News)
“If there's a small amount of DNA inside one of those gloves and it is sent to a lab for testing, that DNA could be used up in the testing. So what I'm saying is, if that lab in Florida uses up that touch DNA, it's over. Does he not realize what he is risking? He needs to go back to his basketball game.”
— Nancy Grace, Legal Commentator (Fox News)
“Not even close to the truth. All decisions in the case were being discussed with the FBI.”
— Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (KVOA)
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the private Florida lab to continue analyzing evidence in the case.
The takeaway
This case highlights the importance of effective coordination and transparency between local and federal law enforcement agencies when investigating high-profile missing persons cases. The public scrutiny and conflicting accounts raise concerns about the competence of the investigation and the potential for critical evidence to be mishandled or compromised.
