Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer has raised new questions about the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie after recent remarks by FBI Director Kash Patel regarding the bureau’s role in the case.
Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, has been missing for more than four months after disappearing from her home in Tucson, Arizona. The case remains unsolved and has drawn nationwide attention, and lead investigator Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has come under scrutiny.
In a recent interview with NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich, Patel repeated comments he made in a May interview, saying that Nanos has kept the FBI out of the investigation in its early days.
But Coffindaffer argues that several aspects of the case may have provided a basis for federal jurisdiction, raising questions about whether the FBI could have become more directly involved sooner.
Newsweek has contacted Coffindaffer and the FBI for further comment.
Coffindaffer Questions Federal Jurisdiction Claims
In a post on X, Coffindaffer pointed to the Federal Kidnapping Act—commonly known as the Lindbergh Law—which allows federal involvement in kidnapping investigations under certain circumstances.
She noted that, if a kidnapping victim is not released within 24 hours, there is a legal presumption that the crime may have crossed state lines, potentially triggering FBI jurisdiction.
Coffindaffer wrote: “‘If the offender uses any means, facility, or instrumentality of interstate commerce to commit or further the crime, it falls within federal jurisdiction.”
She added that ransom notes that were sent to media outlets in the early days of the case also gave the FBI jurisdiction in the case.
“Something that is really bothering me—Does the FBI know that no one crossed state lines? Do they really have a bead on who is behind this and aren’t saying?” she added.
What Kash Patel Said
“From day one, the FBI offered up our assistance because it was a state and local matter,” Patel told Pavlich.
He added that the bureau was not granted access to parts of the investigation for four days but continued offering support throughout the case.
Patel highlighted the FBI’s work analyzing footage from Guthrie’s Ring doorbell camera.
“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,'” he said.
“And what do we do? We pull that out.”
Patel added that the bureau offered to conduct DNA testing through FBI laboratories but that local investigators chose to use a private lab instead.
“It’s like a child abduction case or missing person’s case. You need the first 48 hours to hit the ground hard. And, again, the state and locals are in charge of those investigations.
“We, the FBI, don’t take ownership of them. We’ve continued to offer assistance,” Patel said.
Sheriff’s Office Pushes Back
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department previously responded to Patel’s remarks, saying in a statement: “Sheriff Nanos responded to the scene the night of the incident, providing immediate local leadership and oversight.
“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. While the FBI Director was not on scene, coordination with the Bureau began without delay.”
The statement added that decisions “regarding evidence processing were made on scene based on operational needs. 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.”
It said: “We remain committed to a thorough, coordinated, and fact-based investigation and will continue working closely with our federal partners as the process moves forward.”
How Long Has Nancy Guthrie Been Missing?
Guthrie was last seen on January 31 and was reported missing the following day from her home in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills area.
Investigators have said they believe she was kidnapped. Drops of blood were reportedly found on her front porch, and authorities later released surveillance footage showing a masked man outside her residence on the night she disappeared.
Despite extensive searches involving law enforcement agencies and volunteers, authorities have not publicly identified a suspect or announced any arrests connected to Guthrie’s disappearance.
Sheriff Targets YouTubers Near Investigation Site
Nanos cracked down on YouTubers in Nancy Guthrie’s neighborhood this week following complaints from neighbors.
A spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department told Newsweek that three people were arrested after Nanos directed deputies to take a “stronger enforcement approach.”
The sheriff’s department “received numerous complaints about individuals blocking roadways, trespassing and disrupting the peace in the neighborhood,” the spokesperson said.
“Deputies initially issued warnings, followed by the posting of no-trespassing signs and the issuance of citations for violations. Despite those efforts, some individuals continued to disregard the law.
“After reviewing video evidence showing one of the arrestees urinating in public behind a makeshift tent, Sheriff Chris Nanos has directed deputies to take a stronger enforcement approach.”
Alexander Zabel Jr., 54, who runs the “Criminal Network” page on YouTube, was arrested and charged with two counts of obstruction of a highway or public thoroughfare and one count of public nuisance, the sheriff’s department said.
Troy Bradshaw, 34, who runs the “DAA JUICE” page, was charged with one count of public nuisance.
Damien Todd Enderle, a 46-year-old man who helps run local crime blog 857 Tucson, was charged with one count of public nuisance, the sheriff’s department said. He was cited and released.
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