TRUE CRIME NEWSTodd Blanche Dismisses Idea of FBI Taking Over 'Heartbreaking' Nancy Guthrie Case: 'Not Necessarily the Right Thing to Do'
Savannah Guthrie's mom, Nancy Guthrie, has been missing for more than six months.
Aug. 17 2026, Updated 6:13 p.m. ET
Newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that a federal takeover of the Nancy Guthrie case is not the best course of action.
Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Blanche called the six-month-old disappearance "heartbreaking" and noted that the FBI will continue to provide manpower and forensic resources rather than forcefully taking over the local investigation.
"It's a horrible situation, and I share the grief and frustration that you and your colleagues have and that the whole country has in the situation," Blanche said.
Todd Blanche doesn't think the FBI taking over the case would be 'the right thing to do.'
Blanche expressed frustration and sorrow that he could not provide a breakthrough update on the investigation.
When asked by host Kristen Welker if the FBI should take the lead from local Arizona authorities, Blanche responded that coming in hot to seize control is not necessarily the right move for the case.
“Whether the FBI takes the lead, we are there to support. We're going to continue to do that. Whether we come in with sharp elbows and take it over, that's not necessarily the right thing to do for her," Blanche explained.
Inside the Investigation
Todd Blanche said finding Nancy Guthrie has remained a priority for Kash Patel and the FBI.
He reassured the public that FBI Director Kash Patel and regional leadership are keeping the case a top priority, fueling it with resources and focus.
Nancy, the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her home in Tucson, Ariz., on February 1.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department maintains primary oversight of the ongoing probe. While local and federal investigators have reviewed countless leads and surveillance footage, no suspects have been arrested.
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It's believed that Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Arizona home in the early morning hours of February 1.
In late July, state investigators released two ransom notes believed to be authentic in an effort to generate fresh leads.
The FBI continues to offer a $100,000 reward for information alongside a $1 million reward previously proposed by the Guthrie family.
'I Wish I Had an Update'
The Guthrie family and the FBI are offering separate rewards for information that leads to Nancy Guthrie's 'recovery.'
"I wish I had an update, and I know that this type of case is heartbreaking, especially when it plays out nationally like this one has," Todd continued. "All I can say is that [FBI] Director Patel and his leadership and the leadership out in that area of the country, it will remain a priority as it should with resources and with energy and with focus.”
Public scrutiny and criticism surrounding Kash’s handling of the case focus primarily on the public "blame game" between federal and local law enforcement, the politicization of an ongoing investigation, and potential legal delays regarding federal jurisdiction.
