Nancy Guthrie Search Hampered by Early Investigation Missteps | Report

Six months after Nancy Guthrie's abduction, law enforcement efforts to locate her have shown little progress, with no arrests yet made. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the initial slow pace of the investigation may have stemmed from missteps by the Pima County Sheriff's Department. The article, based on interviews with officials and documents accessed from public records, outlines several areas where the response could have been better.

The deputies were criticized for not properly securing Guthrie's property, allowing unauthorized entry from reporters, live-streamers, and delivery drivers. Furthermore, initial reports suggested that spots of dried blood on the porch were not related to the kidnapping; however, later testing confirmed the blood belonged to Guthrie, suggesting a potential connection to the abduction. Sheriff Chris Nanos dismissed these allegations, stating that his department is actively working on the case and that it is not deemed cold.

The report also revealed that the head of the homicide investigation, Sgt. David Stivers, had been reprimanded two months prior to the kidnapping for "poor judgment," which may have contributed to delays in securing evidence. The sheriff's surveillance aircraft, intended to aid in the search, did not commence its search until 6:30 p.m., several hours after the initial missing-person report and too late to conduct day-time searches.

This delay was attributed to the senior pilot being demoted days earlier due to a workplace complaint.

Additionally, the newspaper suggested that Sheriff Nanos may have marginalized deputies who had supported Lieutenant Heather Lappin, Nanos' political opponent in the 2024 election. On Friday, the Pima County Sheriff's Department released details of two ransom notes received from media outlets and stated that they are aware of individuals familiar with the suspect, who may have noticed changes in his behavior around the time of the kidnapping videos. However, the department declined to comment further on the investigative issues raised.