Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has denied allegations that he blocked the FBI from analysing evidence in the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, insisting that he instead sent items to a private DNA lab in Florida. Federal officials had requested that gloves and DNA samples found in Guthrie's home be processed at the FBI's national crime lab in Quantico, Virginia, but Nanos refused, according to investigators.
Nanos told local news outlet KVOA that the claim he withheld evidence is 'not even close to the truth'. He explained that the FBI wanted to send only one or two gloves found near the crime scene, but he argued it made more sense to send all recovered gloves to a lab where existing DNA profiles and markers are held. He said the FBI agreed with this approach.
However, Nanos did not directly address allegations about a glove and DNA sample reportedly found inside Guthrie's home. He also revealed that 'quite a number' of gloves were recovered during the search and that officials 'don't even know the true value' of them at this time.
The sheriff has faced criticism for failing to locate Nancy Guthrie, 84, who vanished from her Tucson home on January 31. Sources within his own department have alleged a series of missteps that slowed the search in its crucial first hours, including grounding a vital search-and-rescue aircraft.
Investigators continue to search for clues, including a truck that may be connected to the abduction. They are reviewing local camera footage, but traffic cameras in the area do not record vehicles, and county cameras may not capture licence plate details. Authorities have asked neighbours and businesses to provide any relevant footage.
