In a surprising turn of events Nancy Guthrie A U.S. law enforcement official told Reuters that Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos had blocked the FBI from obtaining key physical evidence.
According to the official, FBI Materials from Guthrie’s home are requested to be sent to the National Forensic Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for advanced testing. Sheriff Nanos, however, insisted that the materials be processed at an independent laboratory in Florida.
Meanwhile, the search for Nancy enters its 12th day, as federal and local authorities continue to search roads and review surveillance footage.
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Why did Nanos prevent the FBI from obtaining evidence in the Guthrie case?
Primary jurisdiction over the case rests with the Pima County Sheriff, and law prohibits the FBI from participating in the investigation unless the county formally requests FBI assistance.
The official told Reuters the county had paid about $200,000 to transport evidence in the Guthrie case to a Florida laboratory contracted by the county.
The official stressed that the move came from application Essentially preventing the FBI from obtaining critical evidence in the case.
“This has the potential to further slow down the progress of the case, which is becoming more urgent by the minute,” the official said.
The official also noted that utilizing federal technology and resources was critical to the rapid progress of the case. “Failure to do so will only prolong the Guthrie family’s grief and the community’s wait for justice,” the official told Reuters.
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FBI now updates reward amount to $100,000
The FBI raised the reward in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie to $100,000 Thursday afternoon after providing more information about a suspect captured on surveillance video at her home.
A forensic examination of the doorbell camera footage by the FBI’s Operations Technology Unit helped law enforcement obtain additional information about the suspect.
“We hope this updated description will help focus tips we receive from the public,” an FBI news release said.
The camera footage was released last week.
