Another twist in Nancy Guthrie investigation -- are they really getting closer? Day 100
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Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖A previous report stating Nancy Guthrie's family believed she 'walked away' was corrected; they thought she might have left for medical reasons, possibly by ambulance.
- ❖Sheriff Nanos's public claim of being 'closer' to solving the case is contradicted by the host's sources close to the investigation.
- ❖Retired FBI agent Maureen O'Connell suggests the Pima County Sheriff's Office may have intentionally downplayed a Mexico connection to prevent FBI takeover.
- ❖Both a local sergeant and the retired FBI agent believe the sheriff should have transferred the investigation to the FBI due to manpower and organizational issues.
- ❖The initial response to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance was described as 'chaotic' and 'disorganized,' potentially impacting evidence collection.
- ❖The FBI has robust Incident Command Systems and significant resources that were allegedly underutilized in the early days of the investigation.
Insights
1Correction on Family's Initial Belief About Disappearance
Sergeant Aaron Cross of the Pima County Sheriff's Office issued a correction, stating that Nancy Guthrie's family did not initially believe she 'walked away' from her home. Instead, they thought she might have left on her own due to a medical issue, possibly by calling an ambulance. This new information aligns with Savannah Guthrie's previous statements about her mother's physical condition and the suspicious scene at the home.
Host Brian Entin's direct communication with Sergeant Aaron Cross, who clarified his previous statement after following up with detectives. Savannah Guthrie's prior interview confirmed Nancy's physical limitations and the suspicious nature of the scene (blood, yanked camera).
2Discrepancy in Investigation Progress
Pima County Sheriff Nanos publicly stated that authorities are 'closer' to solving Nancy Guthrie's case. However, sources close to the investigation, as reported by the host, contradict this, indicating that they are not significantly closer to a resolution or identifying a specific suspect or lead.
Sheriff Nanos's direct quote to Fox Digital reporters, 'We are,' when asked about progress, contrasted with the host's unnamed sources who 'sadly have been telling me that they are not much closer.'
3Alleged Obstruction of FBI Involvement and Mexico Connection
Retired FBI agent Maureen O'Connell and a former lieutenant suggest that the Pima County Sheriff's Office may have deliberately downplayed the possibility of Nancy Guthrie or the suspects being taken to Mexico. This action could have been a strategic move to prevent the FBI from taking over the investigation, as an international element would typically trigger federal jurisdiction. The sheriff's known historical animosity towards the FBI is cited as a potential motivator.
Retired Lt. Dave Smith's theory that 'a great deal of effort' was made to 'keep the feds out' by denying international transport. Maureen O'Connell's agreement, stating the sheriff would 'want to downplay a Mexico possibility' to prevent the FBI from 'taking control.' She also referenced Sheriff Nanos's past public statements expressing 'hate' for the FBI.
4Critique of Initial Investigation's Disorganization and Manpower Issues
Both Sergeant Aaron Cross and retired FBI agent Maureen O'Connell criticize the Pima County Sheriff's Office for the chaotic and disorganized initial response to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. They argue that the sheriff should have handed the investigation over to the FBI, which had 'hundreds of agents ready to go' and superior resources, including advanced Incident Command Systems, to manage a complex case effectively. This lack of cooperation and leadership is believed to have negatively impacted the crucial early stages of evidence collection.
Sergeant Cross stated the initial response was 'chaotic' and 'disorganized,' with detectives unable to communicate. Maureen O'Connell emphasized the FBI's ability to rapidly deploy specialists and set up sophisticated command posts, contrasting it with the reported local disarray. She also highlighted the 'lack of leadership' as the root cause of the chaos.
5Concerns Over Evidence Collection and Call for Re-examination
Maureen O'Connell expressed significant concern over the thoroughness of the initial evidence collection, particularly mentioning the 'rootless hair' as potentially the only known evidence. She suggests the initial search was 'truncated' and advocates for a complete re-examination of Nancy Guthrie's home and surrounding areas by an FBI Evidence Response Team (ERT), emphasizing the need to collect all potential evidence, including the doormat with blood and even structural elements like doors and tiles.
O'Connell's skepticism about the 'rootless hair' being the sole evidence, her strong recommendation for the FBI's ERT team to 'redo that entire house from stem to stern,' and her specific mention of taking the doormat and door parts as evidence.
Lessons
- Advocate for clear communication and cooperation between local and federal law enforcement agencies in missing persons cases, especially when federal resources are available.
- Question official statements on investigation progress, particularly when they conflict with information from multiple sources, to encourage transparency.
- Support the implementation of standardized incident command systems in complex investigations to prevent disorganization and ensure efficient resource deployment.
Quotes
"My personal theory is if Mexico was suspected that would make it a federal investigation. There seemed to be a great deal of effort to keep the feds out of this case and the best way to do that was to deny any possibility of interstate or international transport of the person's body who was kidnapped."
"If the sheriff wanted to keep the FBI from taking control, that you would want to downplay a Mexico possibility because that's correct."
"That is a reason to turn it over to the FBI because he obviously cannot get out of his own way. And if you I don't know if you ever saw the videos of Nanos in like I think it was 2016 or something where he was going on and on about how much he hates the FBI. So, this isn't something that we're just pulling out of thin air."
"The fact that it was chaotic, that's a leadership problem. That should not have happened."
"I cannot believe that it's true that all they have is one hair without a root. I I cannot believe that that's all they have. I I I won't. I'm going to have to be someone's going to have to prove that to me."
Q&A
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