Nancy Guthrie update: Sheriff Chris Nanos hits back at FBI chief Kash Patel over probe claims, ‘They were there…’

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has pushed back against FBI Director Kash Patel’s claims that federal agents were prevented from assisting in the early days of the investigation into missing Arizona woman Nancy Guthrie.Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos gestures during a press conference after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. (REUTERS)Nanos defended his department’s handling of the high-profile case, saying Patel’s comments about the FBI being kept away from the investigation were inaccurate.“They were there day one just as my team was,” Nanos said during an appearance on The Sharpe Exchange podcast, responding to Patel’s claim that the FBI was excluded from the probe for four days.The sheriff said local investigators contacted the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force after search and rescue teams identified the seriousness of the situation.“Our detectives were called in after our search and rescue team recognized what they had, contacted our investigative teams,” Nanos said. “They immediately contacted the Violent Crime Task Force and their representatives were there.”He added that the suggestion that federal agents had been prevented from helping was incorrect.“The concept or the representation that the FBI was held off and boy, we wish we’d have been there early on, that’s not just even accurate. They were there [on] day one just as my team was,” Nanos said.Also Read: Nancy Guthrie update: ‘Investigator’ makes shock claim about Annie Guthrie, Tommaso Cioni - ‘away for over 60 days’What did Kash Patel say about the Nancy Guthrie case?Patel had previously criticized the handling of parts of the investigation, saying the FBI attempted to provide assistance but was not involved immediately.Speaking on Sean Hannity’s podcast, Patel said the agency’s approach was to support local authorities but claimed investigators were unable to participate at the beginning.“What we, the FBI, do is say, ‘Hey, we’re here to help. What do you need?’” Patel said. “And for four days, we were kept out of the investigation.”Patel also raised concerns over evidence processing, saying some material was sent to a private laboratory in Florida instead of the FBI facility in Quantico, Virginia.“I had a fixed-wing aircraft on the ground ready to move it immediately through the night,” Patel said, arguing that FBI analysis could have been completed faster.The Pima County Sheriff’s Department previously told The New York Post that Nanos began working with the FBI “without delay.”Also Read: Nancy Guthrie update: Savannah Guthrie issues emotional new plea to her mother's kidnappers: 'Do the right thing'Nancy Guthrie investigation remains activeNearly six months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, Nanos said investigators are continuing to pursue leads and examine evidence.“We have a lot of evidence that our scientific labs are working,” he said, adding that authorities are reviewing video footage with help from private companies and continuing to process thousands of tips.Nanos also said the case remains a priority and that investigators would continue supporting Guthrie’s family.“If they believe that she’s alive, I believe that she’s alive,” he said, adding that authorities would disclose critical discoveries, including if investigators found evidence of a burial site.Nancy Guthrie, 84, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her Tucson-area home earlier this year. Authorities have continued investigating the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.