Finding Nancy Guthrie: The Elimination Game - Ep. 11

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Finding Nancy Guthrie – The Elimination Game (Ep. 11)

Podcast: Finding Nancy Guthrie
Host: Lynden Blake (The Daily Wire)
Date: February 17, 2026
Main Theme:
A detailed update on the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, focusing on recent developments, official actions, theories from experts, and insight into investigative challenges. Special emphasis on clearing the immediate family as suspects, the importance of DNA evidence, and issues with case communication.

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Episode Overview

• Purpose:
  To provide listeners with the latest developments in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance, including law enforcement updates, expert analysis, and the importance of communication in active investigations.
• Tonal Highlights:
  Serious, investigative, empathetic—balancing factual updates with human stories and expert critical analysis.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Immediate Family Officially Cleared as Suspects

[00:41] – [02:01]

• Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has cleared Nancy Guthrie's immediate family—including Savannah Guthrie, her siblings, and their spouses.
• Previously, the public had been told “everyone was a suspect,” emphasizing the importance of this clarification.
• Lynden underscores:
  “We’re specifically talking about Annie, Tomasso, Cameron, the brother, Savannah and her husband Mike. They have been cleared.” (01:32)
• Caveat: Not all extended family or everyone associated has been formally cleared; clarification applies strictly to the closest individuals.

2. Savannah Guthrie’s Emotional Appeal

[02:24] – [03:55]

• Savannah Guthrie released a raw, heartfelt video, expressing ongoing hope and appealing to whoever has her mother:
  • “You’re not lost or alone, and it’s never too late to do the right thing.” (Paraphrased, ~[03:32])
• Lynden notes online speculation about Savannah’s personal insights but frames the appeal as a compassionate, human outreach for help.

3. Discovery and Analysis of Critical DNA Evidence

[04:03] – [09:05]

• A glove found two miles from Nancy’s home tested positive for DNA from an unknown male, providing a potential investigative break.
• It was one glove of sixteen collected, with only one yielding DNA.
• DNA is being run through CODIS, the FBI’s national database.
• Discussion on process: Concerns exist about delays due to secondary lab testing and procedural complexities if results differ between labs.

4. Responses to Extortion Notes Sent to TMZ

[04:40] – [05:52]

• A fourth note sent to TMZ claims Nancy was spotted in Mexico and requests reward money and Bitcoin.
  • Harvey Levin (TMZ) offers a conditional deal:
    “You can tell us who Nancy’s kidnappers are and we’ll tell law enforcement, but we just need to confirm that you are legit.” (~[05:10])
• Lynden expresses skepticism due to lack of proof of life, but authorities must treat these as leads.

5. Expert Analysis: Former FBI Agent Chris Hinkle’s Theories

[06:33] – [11:57]

• Theory on Crime Type
  • Hinkle expresses doubt about the “burglary gone wrong” explanation:
    • “I’m not one that’s buying into that this was a burglary gone wrong...” ([06:37])
  • Suggests the suspect likely planned the abduction, referencing the preparedness implied by a full backpack:
    “If someone’s coming there with the intent to take someone hostage, you’re going to have... duct tape, masks, something in there...” ([06:44])
• Neighborhood Insights
  • Noted the neighborhood’s low crime, residents often leave doors unlocked—contributing factors.
• Physical Evidence Handling
  • Critiques the decision to send evidence out-of-state versus directly to the FBI lab:
    “I’m not sure why the decision was made to send it down to the lab in Florida. The FBI lab was available...” ([08:37])

What DNA Could Uncover

• A match in CODIS could accelerate the investigation dramatically; genealogy databases like 23andMe might be queried if no direct match is found:
  • “If we get a hit on the DNA... you’re going to see a massive move of investigators... things ramp up really, really fast.” ([10:07])
• Stresses investigative patience: Even a strong DNA lead requires extensive follow-up to confirm identity and relevance.

Critique of Case Leadership & Communication

- Hinkle highlights “a leadership issue at this crime scene,” particularly at higher levels:
    - “The problem we have right now is there appears to be some type of leadership issue with who’s making the decisions on where things are going to go.” ([11:13])
- Advocates for daily press briefings to clear up rumors and unify messaging.

6. Challenges with Public Information & Rumors

[11:57] – [12:42]

• Lynden laments confusion caused by inconsistent messaging from law enforcement.
• Endorses daily press updates—even minimal—to prevent harmful speculation and keep the public properly informed.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Savannah Guthrie (video):
  “You’re not lost or alone, and it’s never too late to do the right thing.” (~[03:32])
• Chris Hinkle (FBI, ret.):
  “I’m not one that’s buying into that this was a burglary gone wrong...” ([06:37])
  “If we get a hit on the DNA... you’re going to see a massive move of investigators... things ramp up really, really fast.” ([10:07])
  “The problem we have right now is there appears to be some type of leadership issue with who’s making the decisions on where things are going to go.” ([11:13])
• Lynden Blake (host):
  “Hopefully tomorrow we’ll have some answers on this DNA and a better direction of where the DNA could lead us to find Nancy.” ([12:20])

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Important Timestamps

• [00:41] - Family cleared as suspects announced
• [02:24] - Savannah Guthrie’s public video appeal
• [04:03] - DNA glove evidence and preliminary lab results
• [04:40] - Update on fourth extortion letter to TMZ
• [06:33] - Introduction of expert guest, Chris Hinkle (former FBI)
• [06:37] - Hinkle’s breakdown: not a burglary, scenario analysis
• [09:05] - DNA evidence process and implications
• [11:13] - Hinkle’s critique of leadership and communications
• [11:57] - Discussion of rumor control and press conference need

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Conclusion

Day 16:
No definitive signs of Nancy Guthrie, but investigative momentum is building as the family is cleared and DNA analysis progresses. Authorities and expert guests urge better communication to clarify confusing and often conflicting narratives.

Tip line: 1-800-CALL-FBI
Host’s closing hope: DNA results may provide the breakthrough needed in the days ahead.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Savannah Guthrie still believes her mother is out there. As a search for 84 year old Nancy Guthrie enters week three, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos clears Nancy's immediate family and their spouses and as possible suspects in the case.

[C]

I'm not one that's buying into that this was a burglary gone wrong.

[B]

A former senior FBI investigator tells us his theory of what happened to Nancy the night she vanished. As we all wait for the DNA results from a glove found near Nancy's home. Could this be the breakthrough the case needs?

[C]

We have received a fourth letter from the same person who says that he knows where Nancy Guthrie is and and he wants money.

[B]

In a fourth note sent to tmz, this one claiming Nancy has been spotted in Mexico. What TMZ offers the note's author. I'm Lyndon Blake and this is Finding Nancy. A Daily Wire True Crime investigation. It is Monday, February 16, Day 16 in the search for Nancy Guthrie. And a big break today. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos clears Nancy's immediate family and their spouses as potential suspects in the 84 year old's disappearance. This has been something that a lot of people have been questioning for the last two weeks whether there was any family involvement, immediate family involvement, because we have been told over and over again that no one was cleared and everyone was a suspect. Even though Pima county sheriff said that an Uber driver was cleared. And there's been other indications of people being released after being detained for questioning. I'm going to stress this. This does not mean that every person related to Nancy Guthrie in the Tucson area has been cleared. We're specifically talking about Annie Tomasso, Cameron, the brother Savannah and her husband Mike. They have been cleared. So I talked to one of my friends that's worked these types of investigations for decades and he told me he would never clear anybody unless he knew who the person was who did the crime. So just something to keep in mind. A lot of narratives though haven't had clarity. There's been reports of glove found in the home. No, the glove wasn't found in a home. There's been questions about was this a burglary gone bad? And you've had pushback from FBI and Pima county sheriff saying no. So, so why so many narratives? There hasn't been direct communication from the people running this case and the public. But over the weekend, Savannah did put out a new video. And this was an important video because it was her most raw video that we've gotten. It sounded like Savannah. I mean, she sounded tired and just overwhelmed. But in that video, she said she still has hope. Her mom is out there. And. And I think it's important to note that in this video, it seems like she is trying to appeal to the human side of whoever may have her mom. She says specifically, you're not lost or alone, and it's never too late to do the right thing. A lot of people online took that as. Does Savannah have any inkling of who took her mom or what they may be going through? But it is clear that she is trying to appeal to the human side and try to get the person or people responsible for taking her mom to just have a little bit of humanity and return this beloved 84 year old grandmother. FBI did get preliminary results over the weekend that had DNA of an unknown male on a glove. Now, this is not the. The glove in the house, the glove not in the house. This is a glove that was found about two miles away from Nancy Guthrie's home. It was one glove of like 16 gloves that were collected, but only one glove has given DNA. So today they're in the process of confirming this and trying to get this DNA in the codis, which is the national database that is unique to the FBI. And another thing, and I'm going to briefly talk about this because it just seems that these notes that are going to TMC are far fetched at this point. But again, I'm going to report it because authorities have to look into this if someone is claiming to know things about Nancy. The fourth note was sent to TMZ Monday, and the author of the note said they saw Nancy five days ago in Mexico. That is weird. They're again asking for that reward money and bitcoin. They're scared to go straight to law enforcement. So TMZ's Harvey Levin offered the person writing this note a little deal. He said, you can tell us who Nancy's kidnappers are and we'll tell law enforcement, but we just need to Confirm that you are legit. So if you're legit, come forward and we'll make sure you get the money. It just seems unlikely because there's been no proof of life at all that this is going to lead to whoever has Nancy Guthrie, FBI, they're the ones looking into all this and really playing a pivotal role in this investigation. That's why I was so excited to bring in Chris Hinkle, the former supervisory special agent with the FBI. He is going to break down the DNA evidence that is being collected right now, plus go into his theory of what actually happened the night Nancy vanished. And we're going to get into why he thinks there's so many conflicting reports surrounding this case. Chris, thank you so much for joining us.

[C]

Pleasure.

[B]

Okay, based on what we know, what kind of crime do you think took place?

[C]

I'm not one that's buying into that. This was a burglary gone wrong. You know, just looking at the backpack that the individual was wearing, it looked like it was full of something. Now, unless those are burglary tools, that, that would, I guess that would fill it up. But if, if someone's coming there with the intent to take someone hostage, you're going to have, you know, duct tape, you know, masks, something in there, you know, a lot of supplies and things that you would need. So I, unless I get some other information, I'm going to go with this. Likely this person was coming in to do what. What happened? The neighborhood is not prone to significant criminal activity, that a lot of the people in that neighborhood often leave their doors unlocked. I also look at, I use Occam's razor. What's the most logical thing it usually ends up being? The answer is that Ms. Guthrie probably left out of that front door, probably left the front door unlocked, just shut, got into the Uber and when she was brought back, the son in law probably dropped her off in the garage and she didn't even think to go back and lock the door at night before she went to bed. So probably just unlocked the door and went in. That's the likely thing that happened. Now to the gloves. I don't want to get the family's hopes up on this, but I don't want to give them false hope. But I also want to say that this is a way to. It definitely is a movement forward in the investigation to find some type of evidence to compare. So when we're talking DNA evidence, the FBI has the, the premier, they're, they're the top in conducting analysis, examination, and with DNA evidence and My concern is having it sent to a lab that they have to wait on that. That's a delay for the family, number one. Number two is if the FBI does a secondary test on it, what do we do if we get differing, any variations in the results of the test? A good defense attorney, if you've got any variation between testing done by a private lab and a testing done by the FBI lab, a good defense attorney is going to get that thrown out, even if it identifies a suspect. So that is a concern that I would want to keep in the back of my mind right now. I'm not sure why the decision was made to send it down to the lab in Florida. The FBI lab was available. You could send it right there. We wouldn't be waiting 24 hours for this validation of the results from the Florida lab before the FBI takes their turn at it.

[B]

So if the glove went to Quantico, there'd be a faster result. And then is there another delay potentially? If this profile is put in CODIS and it turns up nothing, then the FBI has to go down the genealogy trail.

[C]

That would be something that they would do. That was when I, when I first learned of 23andMe and these genealogies services that are provided out there. You know, you're providing your DNA and then once you have that information into a database, all the FBI needs is a court order to get access to it. And again, that opens up other leads. You still have to follow it up with investigative steps of going and conducting interviews, of reviewing any available data to prepare for that interview. So it, there's a lot of steps in between there. I don't want people to think that just because we get a hit that this is the person. The only thing we can say for sure is if the DNA that was found in the house, and we don't know if that's the DNA of the suspect, we just know it's an unknown DNA. If it's compared to the DNA from this glove, that gives us another avenue to start looking further. Like, okay, this likely was the glove that was worn when this person entered the house. This is likely the DNA. Hopefully we get a hit with a name on it that this individual, especially if they're doing something like this, like going into this house to take a person out of it. They've likely been involved in some type of illegal activity before, which may give us an opportunity to have collection of evidence such as fingerprints, DNA, things like that. Often these cases get broken open from something very small that balloons out. So let's say we get a hit on the DNA and it turns out to be a person that has a long criminal history of activity in that area. Now you're going to. You're going to see a massive move of investigators going out to conduct interviews, to go to locations, known locations that this individual may have been. You're going to see things ramp up really, really fast. Right now, I think that the biggest issue that we have, and I hate to say this, it's a leadership issue at this crime scene. I don't. I, I know that from my friends on the ground there, that the working relationship between the, the street agents, the FBI agents that are working this case and some of the, the middle executives and the people, the investigators, the officers and stuff with the sheriff's department, police department, they're doing really, really well. The problem we have right now is there appears to be some type of leadership issue with who's making the decisions on where things are going to go. I know if I'm that sheriff and I've got the full resources of the FBI, I'm going to take use of those resources of the FBI. It's really going to speed things up.

[B]

I know people have been frustrated with these narratives coming out. One thing's being said. The sheriff says that's not the case. The FBI says that's not the case. And one thing that Hinkle and I agreed on is if there were press conferences, if there were media briefings where the people running this investigation would say what is happening, and we're not saying reveal the secrets of what's going on, anything that would harm the investigation, but simply provide more clarity on the matter. There wouldn't be all these rumors flying around. Hinkle said it best. He thinks there should be a daily press conference. And it doesn't even have to be Sheriff Nanos. It could be a pio just someone saying, okay, today, this is what we can confirm and move on. So day 16. Still no signs of Nancy Guthrie. The tip line for this one, 800, call FBI. A lot of leads out there. Hopefully tomorrow we'll have some answers on this DNA and a better direction of where the DNA could lead us to find Nancy. I'm Lyndon Blake, and this is Finding Nancy Guthrie. A Daily Wire True Crime investigation.