Note Claims Savannah Guthrie's Mom Dead After Abduction
Did local law enforcement's turf wars hinder the Nancy Guthrie case or was cartel involvement never a credible lead?
Above: A photograph of Nancy Guthrie is seen on a sign that people can leave messages in Tucson, Arizona on Feb. 26. Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The Pima County Sheriff's Office dragged its feet bringing in the FBI to find high-level criminal operations, keeping federal investigators out for four days while critical evidence degraded. A hair sample sat in a private Florida lab for 11 weeks before the FBI even got access to it. That kind of turf protection actively hampered the search for Nancy Guthrie.
Narrative B
The methods used in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance don't match how organized, high-level suspects like Mexican cartels typically operate. Investigators believe the crime has local ties, and the suspect caught on a doorbell camera showed sloppy, low-level behavior. A full investigation must be conducted, especially on local criminals.