BRIAN ENTIN INVESTIGATES
BRIAN ENTIN INVESTIGATES
February 9, 2026

Detectives inside Annie Guthrie’s home, also look inside a septic tank at Nancy Guthrie’s house

Quick Read

An ex-homicide detective breaks down the Pima County Sheriff's investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, revealing potential missteps and the complexity of the case amidst new search efforts at family homes.
Deputies probed a septic tank at Nancy Guthrie's house and spent three hours photographing Annie Guthrie's interior.
A retired homicide detective criticized the Pima County Sheriff's Office for quickly clearing the initial crime scene and potential lack of experience.
The detective believes Nancy Guthrie is likely not alive, interpreting Savannah Guthrie's ransom video as a plea for remains.

Summary

Host Brian Entin provides an update on the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case, detailing recent police activity at both Nancy Guthrie's and Annie Guthrie's residences. Deputies were observed probing a septic tank at Nancy's house and spent three hours photographing the interior of Annie's home. Entin interviews Kurt Dab, a retired Pima County Sheriff's homicide detective, who offers expert analysis on the investigation's handling, including the quick clearing of the initial crime scene and the Pima County Sheriff's Office's current experience levels. Dab also speculates on the implications of Savannah Guthrie's ransom video and the professional nature of the kidnapping, suggesting a grim outlook for Nancy's return.
This episode offers critical, on-the-ground reporting combined with expert law enforcement analysis, providing a rare look into the challenges and potential flaws of a high-profile kidnapping investigation. It highlights the tension between public information and ongoing police strategy, revealing how early investigative decisions can impact case progression and public perception, particularly regarding the Pima County Sheriff's Office's capacity to handle such a complex case.

Takeaways

  • Deputies used a long pole to probe a septic tank behind Nancy Guthrie's house, possibly searching for a body.
  • Three deputies spent three hours inside Annie Guthrie's house, taking photographs in various rooms, observed wearing blue gloves.
  • The search at Annie Guthrie's house occurred shortly after Savannah Guthrie released a video offering payment for her mother's return, which a former detective interpreted as a plea for remains.
  • Retired Pima County Homicide Detective Kurt Dab expressed concern that Annie's house was not processed the same day as Nancy's, suggesting it was an oversight.
  • Dab criticized the Pima County Sheriff's Office for clearing Nancy's crime scene too quickly, potentially missing evidence like cameras and floodlights.
  • The Pima County Sheriff's Office has experienced a 'mass exodus' of tenured personnel, leading to a perceived lack of experience among current deputies and homicide detectives.
  • The kidnapping is described as 'extremely professional,' with perpetrators comfortable enough to spend 40+ minutes inside Nancy's home without concern for law enforcement or neighbors.
  • Pima County Sheriff's Office officially states no suspects or persons of interest have been identified, which the host suggests might be a strategic public statement.

Insights

1Septic Tank Search and Annie Guthrie Home Investigation

Deputies conducted a focused search at Nancy Guthrie's residence, probing a septic tank with a long stick, a method often used to search for bodies. Concurrently, three deputies spent three hours inside Annie Guthrie's house, taking numerous photographs in different rooms, observed wearing blue gloves. This activity suggests a broadening of the investigation beyond Nancy's immediate home.

Host observed deputies at Nancy Guthrie's house using a pole in a manhole cover (), and three deputies at Annie Guthrie's house for three hours, taking pictures inside (, ).

2Expert Interpretation of Savannah Guthrie's Ransom Video

A retired Pima County Homicide Detective, Kurt Dab, interpreted Savannah Guthrie's video offering payment for her mother's return as a strong indication that Nancy Guthrie is no longer alive. He believes the offer is likely for the return of her remains or information about their location, rather than a live return.

Kurt Dab stated, 'I don't think it's going to have a positive outcome... I think it was more of, hey, you know, we intended to bring her back to you. Unfortunately, you know, circumstances happened, but we still need to get paid and we'll return, you know, her remains to you or let you know where they are for x amount of money.'

3Criticism of Pima County Sheriff's Office's Investigative Handling

Detective Dab expressed significant concerns about the Pima County Sheriff's Office's initial handling of the case, specifically questioning why Annie Guthrie's house was not processed earlier and why Nancy's primary crime scene was cleared so quickly. He attributes these potential missteps to a 'mass exodus' of experienced personnel, leading to a less seasoned investigative team.

Dab stated, 'My concern was is maybe that house should have been processed the same day as the first house.' () and 'I think it's an experience as a whole with the entire agency... there's been a mass exodus which has drained the department of experience.' ()

4Complexity and Professionalism of the Kidnapping

The kidnapping is characterized as 'extremely professional' and unprecedented by the retired detective. The timeline, particularly the 40-minute window perpetrators spent inside Nancy's home after motion sensors were triggered and before her pacemaker stopped transmitting, suggests a high level of comfort and planning.

Dab described the case as 'bonkers,' 'extremely professional,' and stated, 'they were extremely comfortable in their environment. They weren't worried about the cops showing up. They weren't worried about neighbors being nosy.'

Lessons

  • When analyzing high-profile investigations, consider the operational capacity and experience levels of the involved law enforcement agencies, as these can significantly impact case progression.
  • Recognize that official public statements from law enforcement, especially regarding suspects or persons of interest, may be strategically crafted and not reflect the full scope of internal investigative efforts.
  • Understand that expert opinions from former law enforcement can provide valuable, albeit speculative, insights into case developments, particularly when official information is limited.

Notable Moments

Deputies observed probing a septic tank at Nancy Guthrie's house.

This indicates a search for human remains, suggesting the investigation is considering a grim outcome for Nancy Guthrie.

Three deputies spent three hours photographing inside Annie Guthrie's house late at night.

This signifies a significant new focus on Annie Guthrie's residence as a potential location of interest, possibly linked to new information or forensic findings.

Retired Detective Kurt Dab's strong opinion that Nancy Guthrie is likely deceased, based on Savannah Guthrie's ransom video.

This provides a seasoned law enforcement perspective on a key piece of public communication, offering a stark interpretation of the family's plea.

Criticism of the Pima County Sheriff's Office for quickly clearing the initial crime scene and a perceived lack of experience due to personnel turnover.

This highlights potential systemic issues within the investigating agency that could compromise the integrity or efficiency of a complex case.

Quotes

"

"They would use that pole to, again, it sounds kind of I hate sounds kind of graphic, but they would use it to like probe for for a body to see if there's anything down there."

Brian Entin
"

"I don't think it's going to have a positive outcome, you know, of Nancy being returned alive. I think it was more of, this is just a guess, um, thinking it was more of, hey, you know, we intended to bring her back to you. Unfortunately, you know, circumstances happened, but we still need to get paid and we'll return, you know, her remains to you or let you know where they are for x amount of money."

Kurt Dab
"

"I think at the sheriff's department in the past, you know, few years since I left, there's been a mass exodus which has drained the department of experience."

Kurt Dab
"

"If we're to believe that the ransom note is indeed directly tied to her kidnapping, um, this is an extremely professional crime."

Kurt Dab
"

"They were extremely comfortable in their environment. Um, they weren't worried about the cops showing up. They weren't worried about neighbors being nosy."

Kurt Dab

Q&A

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