Finding Nancy Guthrie: 100 Days Of Questions

Summary

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Podcast Summary: That's So Criminal

Episode: Finding Nancy Guthrie: 100 Days Of Questions
Host: Lynden Blake (The Daily Wire)
Date: May 12, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode marks the grim milestone of 100 days since 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona. Investigative reporter Lynden Blake dives deep into the conflicting narratives, leadership failures, interagency squabbles, and lingering unanswered questions surrounding the high-profile and still-unsolved disappearance. The focus is equally on the impacts this has had on the investigation—and Guthrie’s family—as it is on the leadership of Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, whose handling of the case is under intense scrutiny.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stalled Investigation & Public Frustration

• Lynden notes that, despite reassurances from officials, there has been little progress in Nancy Guthrie’s case since her abduction, with the last law enforcement press conference taking place 95 days earlier ([01:25]).
• The family—and the public—are left without updates, despite significant evidence such as doorbell camera footage and video of the masked suspect.
• “It blows my mind. If you think this case is insane, if you think this case is not normal, you are correct.” — Lynden Blake ([02:57]).

2. Sheriff Chris Nanos Under Fire

• Sheriff Nanos claims that the FBI has been involved since day one, but reporting (AZ Central) and internal accounts suggest otherwise, with allegations that he scolded a county official for sharing information with the FBI ([03:40]).
• Lynden questions Nanos' motivations: “How does that even make sense? Why don't you want all the leads?” ([04:11]).
• Reference to Nanos’ fraught relationship with the FBI, which dates back a decade to a previous investigation into his own department’s finances.

3. FBI’s Perspective & Breakdown in Cooperation

• FBI Director Cash Patel rebuts claims of smooth cooperation, revealing the FBI was kept out of the case’s first four crucial days ([06:02]).
  • “For four days, we were kept out of the investigation. And when we were finally let in... we went and got the ring doorbell.” — Cash Patel ([06:12]).
  • FBI had resources ready, including forensic labs and aircraft, but Pima County sent DNA evidence to a private lab instead of the FBI’s own world-class facilities ([06:54]).
• Patel’s remarks, and public criticism of another law enforcement agency, are highly unusual and signal severe behind-the-scenes discord.

4. Law Enforcement Culture & Leadership Breakdown

• Former FBI Special Agent Maureen O’Connell emphasizes the importance of interagency bridges:
  • “You just have to build a bridge and get over yourself because that's what we're trained to do.” — Maureen O’Connell ([08:30]).
• She stresses this is a leadership failure, not the fault of rank-and-file deputies.

5. Exclusion of Outside Search Groups

• Renowned volunteer group, the Cajun Navy, has been repeatedly ignored by the sheriff’s office despite their proven record in search and rescue operations. They’ve even launched a petition to be allowed to help ([08:44]).
  • “They are begging to help in the search of Nancy Guthrie… Why are they being left on read?” — Lynden Blake ([09:02]).

6. Evidence and Next Steps

• The only publicly known evidence is a rootless hair and some fingerprints—Maureen O’Connell suggests much more can and should be done ([10:20]).
  • “If I were him [FBI Director], I would ask the Guthrie family to send in the FBI's ERT team and redo that entire house…do it as a training exercise for all the best ERT teams in the country.” — Maureen O’Connell ([11:04]).
• Lynden urges the family to advocate for a renewed and aggressive search of all property and potential evidence.

7. Accountability & Possible Removal of Sheriff Nanos

• Criticism is mounting to the point where the board of supervisors is meeting to consider removing Nanos as sheriff ([10:30]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Investigation Fatigue:

  • “In my head, you have more evidence piling up against Chris Nanos... than you have in the case of Nancy Guthrie.” — Lynden Blake ([03:28])

• On Law Enforcement Cooperation:

  • “The first 48 hours of anyone's disappearance are the most critical… for four days, we were kept out of the investigation.” — FBI Director Cash Patel ([06:02])

• On Leadership Responsibility:

  • “You just have to build a bridge and get over yourself because that's what we're trained to do.” — Maureen O'Connell ([08:30])

• On Search Group Exclusion:

  • “They are begging to help in the search of Nancy Guthrie. Why are they being left on read?” — Lynden Blake ([09:02])

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Key Timestamps

• [00:31] Episode introduction; 100 days since Nancy Guthrie's abduction
• [01:25] Law enforcement's official statement on the investigation
• [03:28] Criticisms mount against Sheriff Nanos' leadership
• [05:32] FBI Director openly criticizes Pima County’s approach
• [06:02] Details on FBI’s delayed involvement and obstacles
• [08:12] Maureen O’Connell discusses the culture of cooperation in law enforcement
• [08:44] Exclusion of search groups like the Cajun Navy
• [10:20] Calls for a comprehensive new evidence sweep by the FBI
• [11:40] Board of supervisors meeting to consider Nanos' removal

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Tone and Conclusion

Lynden Blake is clearly frustrated and passionate, balancing hard investigative facts with emotional appeals for action and accountability. The episode underscores the deeply personal nature of the case, the consequences of agency infighting, and the urgent need for renewed energy and cooperation. Listeners leave with a sense of outrage at apparent systemic failures and unresolved hope that new leads—or new leadership—can finally bring Nancy Guthrie home.

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If you have any information related to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, call 1-800-CALL-FBI. The $1.2 million reward remains unclaimed.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

it's been 100 days since Nancy Guthrie was taken from her quiet neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona, And a Pima county official claims she was scolded by Sheriff Chris Nanos for sharing information with the FBI. The reason behind his anger is going to shock you.

[C]

The fact that it was chaotic. That's a leadership problem that should not have happened.

[B]

And the last time we heard from Sheriff Chris Nanos at a Podium was day five of the search for the 84 year old grandmother. I'm Lyndon Blake and you're listening to that's so Criminal. That's so Criminal. It is Tuesday, May 12, and it is so hard to believe. It's been 100 days since 84 year old Nancy Guthrie was forcefully taken from her home in the Catalina foothills just north of Tucson, Arizona. 100 days since that scary masked man was on her front doorstep. 100 days since her family had to go to her house and see blood droplets on her front stoop leading out to the driveway. And Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told Fox News Digital over the weekend they were getting closer. But when I spoke with the Pima County Sheriff's Office this morning, it just seems like the same thing is going on that has been going on for the last 100 days. This is what they told me they said as we reached the 100 day mark in the investigation. Scientific evidence processing and digital media analysis remain ongoing. Pcsd, which is the Pima County Sheriff's Department, and the FBI personnel continue to review evidence using established forensic protocols. Investigative teams are also actively pursuing leads and tips, and the Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI encourage anyone with relevant information to come forward to through established reporting methods. We remain committed to conducting a thorough and comprehensive investigation and appreciate the public's continued patience and cooperation. I'm grateful for that statement, but how have we not had a press conference since day five, February 5th, 95 days ago? We were told back then unless something happened, they wouldn't come back and talk to us. Think about how much has happened. I'm so upset that after we got the images that the FBI was able to recover off the doorbell cameras of the man in the mask and the video of him wandering around the front porch, that media was not able to ask Nano's questions on the podium. It blows my mind if you think this case is insane, if you think this case is not normal. You are correct. We want that big breakthrough tip. We want this DN to come back. It is taking a long time, but we don't get it. In my head. You have more evidence piling up against Chris Nanos in regards to if he is able to do his job as sheriff than you have in the case of Nancy Guthrie. You have nanos on day 100 standing by his claim that the FBI has been working with Pima county officials since day one. If that is the case, then why is AZ Central reporting an official with Pima county was scolded by Chris Nanos for giving information to the FBI. The person claims that Nanos was mad because this would provide more leads for Pima county sheriff's deputies and investigators to have to follow. How does that even make sense? Why don't you want all the leads? You're saying in your statement you're continuing to conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation, but you allegedly scolded someone for telling the FBI information AZ Central has been all over Chris Nanos and the claims against him and what's going on behind the scenes. And this statement on day 100 that the PIMA county official claimed hurts you inside because this is not a reality show. Even though Pima county loves reality shows, they're doing the one on A and E still. But this is a family's life and someone's grandmother and someone's mother is somewhere out there. And all they want is closure. They want to close this. They want to move on. And we know they can't until Nancy Guthrie is returned. And you can't help but think that this beef that Nanos has with the FBI goes back to a decade ago when he was being investigated by the FBI for where the funds from Pima county were going to. He has had issues with the FBI for 10 years.

[D]

I want her to quote me that I think the FBI, if they are having problems doing criminal investigations, please call us because we have real policemen here. We'll do that for you. Because obviously they can't get it done.

[B]

It was an entire 20 minute interview where he just railed on the FBI and them looking into his sheriff's department. So this new 20, 26 little facade that Pima county is BFF with the FBI. FBI Director Cash Patel says that is not reality.

[D]

The first 48 hours of anyone's disappearance are the most critical. And here's how these cases works. It is a state matter. It's a state and local law enforcement matter. What we, the FBI, do is say, hey, we're here to help. What do you need? What can we do? And for four days, we were kept out of the investigation. And when we were finally let in, Sean, look what we did. We went in and got the ring doorbell. And we said, hey, is anyone talking to Google? I called the leadership at Google and I said, look, we know that there was not a subscription service to capture all of the data that would have been captured had there been a subscription service. But can we go into the cache? Can we go into the data before it's deleted and see what we can find? That's why you have that image, because the FBI worked with Google to put that image out. Another thing we asked to do, you guys got that tape, which was the biggest breakthrough during that case. We could have gotten it days before. We could have also maybe gotten more data had we been looking at. Why wouldn't they want your help? Why did they send the DNA to a lab in Florida, not Quantico? That's the other thing that you hit on, right? Again, we were saying, we'll process it. I launched hundreds of agents and intel staff to Phoenix and Tucson just for this case, just to be on stand. They didn't want just to do the canvassing. And we said, we'll take the DNA. And again, it's a state and local matter, so it's their call on where to send the DNA. We have Quantico, best lab in the world. I had a. I had a fixed wing aircraft on the ground ready to move it immediately through the night. Did they just say no? And they said, we're sending it to Florida. And. And then. I don't know. They have jurisdictions, they have jurisdiction, so it's their call.

[B]

So it's becoming harder and harder to believe. Nanos when he says it's. Everything's hunky dory. And I'm not the only one that feels this way. The public feels this way. Former FBI Special agent Maureen o' Connell feels this way. She told Brian Enten this week that Cash Patel's comments are unusual. She can think back to other times where the FBI and other agencies weren't really working in sync together. But no matter what's going on behind the scenes, it is very rare for the FBI director to publicly bash another agency. But Maureen wants to make it clear this is not falling on the deputies. This is not a knock at the people that are working, working for Chris Nanos in Pima County. This is on leadership.

[C]

And I'm not blaming the Pima County Sheriff Department deputies or anything like that. These are all decisions that are made way above their pay grade and way above my pay grade. But you got to learn how to build a bridge. I don't care what your relationship is with anyone if you don't. We've been, we've all worked crime scenes where you get thrust into some situation with someone who's being a big Adam Henry and you just have to build a bridge and get over yourself because that's what we, that's what we're trained to do.

[B]

And it's not just the FBI. Search groups including the Cajun Navy are being given nothing from Nanos. Cajun Navy, these guys, I'm from the South. These are the rednecks that know how to get things done. They are problem solvers. They have found missing people. They help with search and rescue and all types of weather. Hurricanes, you hear, they're the first on the ground to go rescue people. They have been given nothing from Chris Nanos. They are begging to help in the search of Nancy Guthrie. They've even started a petition, a Change.org petition calling for Nanos to allow them to search for the 84 year old. I do not understand. While they are being left on read when it is day 100 and there is no sign of Nancy Guthrie, I'm getting heated. You can tell because when you read all these reports it feels like an episode of the real world, an episode of Traitors. An episode of this game to try to win when again this is a real life situation. But Nanos is not just riding off in his Corvette unscathed. He is getting criticized like I mentioned earlier. So much so that the board of supervisors are having a meeting tonight to see if they want to try to remove Chris Nanos from his position as Pima County Sheriff. So back to the evidence. As we sit on day 100, we know there is a rootless hair that is being tested right now for DNA. That can take a while. It's still in the process. But I love what Maureen o' Connell said that FBI Director Cash Patel should do. She was saying he should call the Guthrie's right now and say, hey, send back out the FBI evidence response team. Do a search again. Go back through that house. Maureen doesn't think There should only be one rootless hair as a piece of evidence and some fingerprints. Go do it again. You had this person allegedly in Nancy Guthrie's home for 40 minutes, touching who knows what. We know the FBI, Pima county, no one got the doormat that had blood on it or anything else right there. So she was saying, now Guthrie family get involved and make sure no stone is left unturned at your mother's place.

[C]

With Cash Patel being the way he is and outspoken and like a bit of a. Not a cowboy, but kind of that kind of cowboy attitude. If I were him, I would ask the Guthrie family to send in the FBI's ERT team and redo that entire house from stem to stern, front to back, every outbuilding, everything, and do it as a training exercise for all the best ERT teams in the country. And let's see what they come up with. And I bet they come up with anything anyone would want.

[B]

I know so many people were hoping that we wouldn't get to day 100, and now that we are at day 100, it seems all the focus is on this drama with the FBI and Chris Nanos. But you can't ignore every expert in the biz saying the ball was dropped at the beginning of this investigation, that there were things that could have been done to get a jump on this, to not treat it as a missing person or a runaway, to let the FBI come and do their grid search and get the evidence, let them set up shop. Day one, work together in tandem. But here we are. And this point has gotten to Chris Nanos leadership being in question as we speak at a board of supervisors meeting. So I will continue to follow that and give you updates on where he stands. And. And again, I'm going to remind you, 1-800-call FBI. The phone line still open, and there is still a reward of more than $1.2 million that remains unclaimed for information leading to the return or the recovery of Nancy Guthrie. I'm Lyndon Blake, and you've been listening to that's so Criminal. That's so Criminal.