NEWSNancy Grace Claims Law Enforcement Is 'Risking' Savannah Guthrie's Mom Abduction Case by Conflicting With the FBI
Legal commentator Nancy Grace slammed law enforcement involved in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, claiming they are 'risking' the investigation.
Feb. 13 2026, Published 3:54 p.m. ET
Nancy Grace criticized the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance amid reports of conflicts between local enforcement and the FBI.
The legal commentator, 66, blasted the Pima County Sheriff's Department for "risking" the case, responding to claims that the officers sent physical evidence to be tested at a private lab in Florida instead of the FBI's laboratory in Quantico, Va.
Nancy Grace Called Out Local Law Enforcement
Nancy Grace criticized local enforcement involved in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.
“There are cases where DNA is sent to a particular lab, a specialty lab, a lab that could have expertise in diluted, destroyed, old, degenerated DNA,” Grace claimed during an appearance on Fox News’ Hannity on Thursday, February 12. “But even if that’s why he’s hanging his hat on an excuse to send it to a private lab in Florida, they don’t have anything that the FBI doesn’t have, so that’s not going to wash.”
Grace seized the moment to throw shade, highlighting reports that Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos attended a University of Arizona men's basketball game on February 7, right in the midst of the search for Guthrie.
“If there’s a small amount of DNA inside one of those gloves and it is sent to a lab for testing, that DNA could be used up in the testing," she continued. "So what I’m saying is, if that lab in Florida uses up that touch DNA, it’s over. Does he not realize what he is risking? He needs to go back to his basketball game.”
The Pima County Sheriff's Department Responded to Criticism
Pima County Sheriff's Department responded to claims of conflict between local and federal authorities.
Nanos responded to criticism over the collaboration between local and federal authorities, insisting there is no conflict between them.
“Not even close to the truth,” he told NBC Tucson affiliate KVOA on Friday, February 13, emphasizing that all decisions in the case were being discussed with the FBI.
- Sheriff Refutes Claims FBI Is Blocked From Accessing Key Evidence in Search for Savannah Guthrie's Mom
- Savannah Guthrie's Missing Mom: Authorities Found Blood Inside Nancy Guthrie's Home as Investigation Continues
- Savannah Guthrie's Mom's Abduction Case Update: Suspicious Black Glove Discovered Near Nancy's Arizona Home as Search Intensifies
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
The Sheriff Defended Florida Lab
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31.
The sheriff's department reportedly has been working with the Florida-based lab for years, who offer their DNA analysis services pro bono.
Nanos commented on the possibility that the suspicious black glove found on February 12 could be sent to the FBI's facility.
"Actually the FBI just wanted to send the one or two they found by the crime scene, closest to it – mile, mile and a half . . . I said 'No, why do that? Let’s just send them all to where all the DNA exist, all the profiles and the markers exist.' They agreed, makes sense," Nanos said.
Nancy Guthrie Was Reported Missing
The FBI released new footage in connection to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.
The search for Nancy has been going on for nearly two weeks following the NBC anchor's mom's reported disappearance on February 1.
The 84-year-old was last seen on January 31 by her daughter Annie Guthrie at around 9:45 p.m.
In a recent development, authorities recovered footage from Nancy's home taken on the morning of her disappearance, which showed a masked suspect at her front door at around 1:45 a.m.
