Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield

Episode: Breaking: Location of Blood Inside Nancy Guthrie's Home Revealed | Nancy Guthrie Missing Update
Date: March 25, 2026

Overview

This episode of "Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield" centers on the mysterious disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, a case now more than 50 days old. Ashleigh Banfield shares a new investigative breakthrough: the precise location of blood found inside Nancy Guthrie's home. Banfield, leveraging her journalistic connections, brings on Dr. Peter Valentin, a seasoned forensic and bloodstain pattern expert from the University of New Haven, to dissect the crime scene findings and what they might indicate about the crime. The episode also explores the embattled position of Sheriff Chris Nanos amid growing criticism about how the investigation has been handled.

Key Topics & Insights

1. New Evidence: Blood Inside Nancy Guthrie's Home

Timestamp: 01:30–07:30

• Ashleigh reports, via her sources, new information about blood being found inside the home, specifically in the front entrance/hallway.
• Prior to this, the presence of blood outside the threshold was public, but the precise indoor location had not been revealed.
• The blood trail starts inside the front entrance and continues outside, described as a “dripping pattern” that matches the outside stains.
• The discovery raises new questions about where and how the assault or abduction began.

Notable Quote

"Now I know where the blood is inside the house. And it is a fascinating piece of data because it is right in the front entrance of the home."
—Ashleigh Banfield (06:03)

2. Details of Entry and Doors

Timestamp: 04:30–07:00

• Multiple back doors were often left unlocked by Nancy Guthrie, but one back door was found “wide open” on the morning of her disappearance.
• There is uncertainty whether a sliding door on the side was also unlocked, but reporting emphasizes a back door, rather than a side slider, being wide open.

3. Sheriff Nanos and Investigation Controversies

Timestamp: 10:30–13:50; 17:24–20:13

• Sheriff Chris Nanos is facing significant scrutiny for the handling of the Guthrie investigation.
• In interviews, Nanos now claims no regret for releasing the crime scene early, though Banfield plays a prior clip (11:55) where he did express regret:

  “Monday morning quarterback. Absolutely. I probably could have held off on that.” —Sheriff Nanos (11:55)

• Nanos continues to publicly plead for Guthrie’s safe return, seemingly presuming she’s still alive.
• The Board of Supervisors meeting includes a “no confidence” declaration from the lead deputies' union and calls for a recall and investigation into Nanos’ alleged concealed misconduct from decades earlier.

Notable Quote

"His past renders him unfit to wear the badge."
—Sgt. Aaron Cross, Pima County Deputies' Union (18:22)

4. Blood Pattern Analysis with Dr. Peter Valentin

Timestamp: 22:34–76:18

a. Type and Location of Bloodstains

• Blood drops both inside and outside the front entrance are drip stains: vertical, undisturbed drops falling with gravity, not splatter from a violent struggle.
• Significance: The pattern’s continuity from inside to outside suggests Nancy was injured prior to reaching the door, and her movement was “slow” or “stationary” at the threshold for “not insignificant” time.

Notable Quote

“The spacing of the droplets is generally what tells me something about the speed of the event... There’s definitely a not insignificant amount of time.”
—Dr. Peter Valentin (35:43, 45:23)

b. Interpretation of the Blood Trail

• Drip stains do not pinpoint where the assault happened. The absence of blood in other rooms (e.g., bedroom) does not rule out an attack elsewhere—blood may start dripping only after a delay.
• Entry wound could have occurred earlier, and bleeding could begin later as blood soaks through clothes or begins to drip.

Notable Quote

"Finding blood on the inside of the threshold doesn't mean she wasn't first attacked in the bedroom."
—Dr. Peter Valentin (28:15)

c. Movement & Perpetrator Actions

• Quantity and undisturbed nature of droplets suggest Nancy may have been carried or walked slowly, not dragged, with possible pauses at the threshold.
• Valentin comments on the possibility, suggested by Ashleigh, that Nancy was carried over the perpetrator’s shoulder with blood trailing behind.
• Speculation that if perpetrator carried Nancy, there should be blood on the back of their clothing.

Notable Quote

"That would be a treasure trove of potential trace evidence... a carpet fiber from the vehicle... mud from his home..."
—Ashleigh Banfield & Dr. Peter Valentin on the welcome mat (63:48–64:23)

d. Nature of the Injury

• Judging by the blood pattern, Valentin suggests the injury was not necessarily grave or lethal—consistent with minor or non-fatal injuries, especially given Nancy’s age (84) and likely blood thinners.
• No evidence-based way to determine if Nancy was alive or dead when blood dropped, though Valentin leans slightly toward her being alive due to gravity-driven bleeding.

5. Assessment of the Investigation

Timestamp: 73:45–76:18

• Valentin discusses the importance of letting the crime scene "tell its story.” Mistakes are more likely when investigations are rushed, especially under media and public scrutiny.
• He is critical of potential missed opportunities and the early release of the scene, emphasizing the role of forensic evidence in leading, not lagging, this particular investigation.

Notable Quote

“They let the house go too quickly... I would have held that house for as long as I possibly could, particularly because this is one of those very few cases where forensic evidence is leading the investigation.”
—Dr. Peter Valentin (74:48)

6. Community and Public Response

Timestamp: 17:24–20:13

• The case and its handling have inflamed local sentiment. Public outcry at the board meeting includes allegations of long-concealed misconduct by the sheriff and a unified no-confidence vote from the deputies’ union.
• There’s talk of launching an official investigation into whether Nanos lied under oath.

7. Memorable Moments & Tone

• Ashleigh’s irreverent, direct style is evident throughout:

  “What made you un-regret it? I don’t know.” (12:51)
  “We will absolutely bring the full force of Pima county and Arizona and the federal government down on your sorry stinking ass.” (13:46)

• Dr. Valentin’s calm, methodical approach balances Ashleigh’s urgency and frustration.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Blood location revelation:
  "Now I know where the blood is inside the house. And it is a fascinating piece of data..." —Ashleigh Banfield (06:03)
• Sheriff’s changing tune:
  "I probably would have. But I'll say this. We processed the scene. We did..." —Sheriff Nanos (11:55)
• Union’s scathing assessment:
  "His past renders him unfit to wear the badge." —Sgt. Aaron Cross (18:22)
• Blood pattern insight:
  "They're what we refer to... as drip stains. And drip stains are probably the most common stains that we see..." —Dr. Peter Valentin (22:34)
• Scene investigation critique:
  “They let the house go too quickly.” —Dr. Peter Valentin (74:48)

Key Takeaways

• Breakthrough Detail: Blood was found inside the front entrance, continuing outside, with a distinct drip pattern—challenging some previously held theories.
• Crime Scene Interpretation: The absence of blood in other areas does not localize the attack; the drip pattern mostly indicates slow/stationary movement and some pause at the threshold.
• Injury Severity: Blood loss pattern does not necessarily indicate a fatal injury; bleeding could occur from relatively minor wounds, especially in the elderly or those on blood thinners.
• Criticism of Police Response: Sheriff Nanos is under fire for prior professional conduct and choices made in the investigation, particularly the early release of the scene.
• Ongoing Uncertainty: Dr. Valentin emphasizes the limits of science without full access and cautions against rushing to conclusions when evaluating complex crime scenes.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode provides a nuanced, deeply-reported update on the Nancy Guthrie disappearance—focusing on physical evidence inside the home that had gone previously unreported. Through forensic analysis, Banfield and Dr. Valentin challenge common assumptions about the crime scene, stress the importance of slow, methodical investigative work, and highlight the mounting political fallout from perceived investigative missteps. Banfield’s signature no-nonsense style ensures listeners get both the facts and the pulse of the controversy—in the Guthrie case and in Pima County law enforcement.