Blanche: FBI Won't Take Over Guthrie Case
Blanche: FBI Won't Take Over Guthrie Case
The News
Attorney General Todd Blanche said the FBI should not take over the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, leaving state and local authorities in Pima County, Arizona, in the lead six months after she vanished.
Blanche made the comments in an interview with Kristen Welker on NBC News' "Meet the Press," where he was pressed on federal oversight of the case.
He said coming in with "sharp elbows" to seize control of the case is not the right approach, and called the disappearance "heartbreaking."
Timeline
Nancy Guthrie is first reported missing in Tucson, Arizona. Doorbell camera footage showed a masked, armed man outside her home before she disappeared.
Authorities classify the disappearance as an abduction. The FBI offers a reward of up to $100,000 for information.
Arizona authorities release two ransom notes in an effort to generate new leads.
Six months on, Blanche tells "Meet the Press" the FBI will support the investigation but not take it over.
Reactions
Blanche said what matters more than federal control is making sure the investigation is conducted properly, and that the FBI is providing manpower and forensic help to Pima County investigators.
He said FBI Director Kash Patel's leadership will keep the case a priority for the bureau.
The local police handling of the case has drawn heavy criticism in the six months since Guthrie was last seen, according to the Daily Mail.
What's Next
Federal agents will keep supplying support to Pima County rather than assuming command of the investigation.
Open questions: whether federal involvement grows if local investigators fail to develop new leads, and who sent the two ransom notes released in July — and whether they are credible.
The FBI's reward of up to $100,000 remains on the table.
More
Blanche was appointed attorney general by President Trump. The Guthrie interview was one of several subjects Welker pressed him on in his Sunday appearance.
Reporting: NBC News, USA Today, Daily Mail.
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