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Savannah Guthrie 'Today' exit row: New suspect in Nancy Guthrie case? Police share update
Savannah Guthrie exited NBC's Today Show unexpectedly, leading to speculation about increased police presence related to Nancy Guthrie's case.
Savannah Guthrie unexpectedly exited NBC's Today Show during a live broadcast on Wednesday. The abrupt move triggered speculation and scrutiny around reports of an increased police presence in her neighborhood.
The longtime morning show co-anchor briefly disappeared from the program during the May 6 broadcast without immediate explanation. Guthrie's co-host Melvin Craig assured their audience that she just “needed a minute and will be back tomorrow.”
Read more: Nancy Guthrie case: Big hint on abductor? DNA evidence points to involvement of…
Today Show exit coincides with police presence
Three months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared and weeks after Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in public that Guthrie family members were not suspects, the police presence has been increased.
According to local reports, police investigating the disappearance of Arizona grandmother Nancy Guthrie have stepped up patrols around her daughter Annie Guthrie's and son-in-law Tommaso Cioni's Tucson home in recent weeks. This has sparked new conjecture among the public about whether detectives are focusing on a new suspect.
However, there is no indication in the news that police have found a new suspect or person of interest.
Moreover, early in April, Sheriff Chris Nanos took action to dispel rumors that Annie, Tommaso, or other family members were being investigated. He declared the family to be innocent in public.
Read more: Chris Nanos denies Kash Patel's claims that FBI was ‘kept out’ of Guthrie probe
New DNA testing in process
Alongside increased police presence, forensic teams across the United States are currently analyzing DNA evidence and security footage from the night of Nancy's disappearance. The time of her departure has sparked new conjecture. The investigators said that hair samples from Nancy's house are undergoing additional testing too.
In his CW special, News Nation's Brian Entin shared, “The latest real development is we confirmed that there was a rootless hair that has been sent to the FBI lab in Quantico for testing, which could be significant if they can figure out if there's any DNA on the hair that could trace back to a possible suspect.”
Additional movement in the case
Public discussions now include the conflicts between the federal and Pima County Sheriff.
In a recent interview with Sean Hannity, FBI Director Kash Patel asserted that the agency was excluded from the probe for the first four days. Those first few hours are "critical" in every kidnapping investigation, according to him.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department, however, disputed these assertions. He said, “The FBI was promptly notified… coordination with the Bureau began without delay. The laboratory utilized… and the FBI Laboratory in Quantico has worked in close partnership from the outset.”
