Nancy Guthrie Case: FBI Director Kash Patel Shares Rare Update on Investigation
FBI director Kash Patel just shared a rare update on Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, more than four months after the 84-year-old was abducted in Tucson, Ariz.
On Friday, June 5, NewsNation spoke with Patel after the case official hit the four-month mark on June 1. During their conversation, the FBI director doubled down on a previous claim that the Pima County Sheriff's Department blocked the bureau's involvement for days.
"We showed up immediately and offered our assistance," Patel said. "We were not let in for four days. And that's their choice."
Of a hair sample found at Nancy's home, he added, "We offered our assistance to go test the DNA. And it's up to them. They chose to use a private laboratory. Ultimately, the hair was sent to the FBI, but processing the sample could still take months.
Additionally, Patel pointed out that local agencies accepting help from the FBI can lead to quick results.
He explained, "What the FBI is great at, what we did when we finally had access to the Ring doorbell camera, for example, we went to our partners at Google and we said, ‘Hey, we know that there wasn't a paid subscription service, but let's go look at the metadata and see if we can find a needle in a needle in a needle in a haystack."
Finally, Patel offered the latest on where Nancy's case stands, telling NewsNation that investigators are still meticulously going through tips.
"We continue to offer assistance," he shared. "I even visited our Tucson office, where we had 150 agents and analysts working on the Nancy Guthrie race to provide intelligence."
Nancy was last seen at her Catalina Foothills residence on the evening of Jan. 31. Although Savannah has offered a $1 million reward and the FBI has released photos and video footage of a masked individual on Nancy's front porch, no suspect has been named.
Most recently, Savannah spoke out about her mom's disappearance on Mother's Day.
"Mother, daughter, sister, Nonie-we miss you with every breath," she wrote on Instagram. "We will never stop looking for you. We will never be at peace until we find you."
The Today co-host added, "We need help. Someone knows something that can make the difference. Call 1800CALLFBI. You can be anonymous and the reward remains available. Please keep praying. Bring her home. 💛."
Next: Nancy Guthrie Update: How a Different Approach Could Solve the Case, Says Detective
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 3:42 PM.