Retired NYPD Chief of Department John Chell on Wednesday criticized the messaging surrounding the Nancy Guthrie case, saying the sheriff's public comments have raised concerns about strategy and presentation at a critical point in the investigation.
Guthrie, 84, daughter of television personality Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing in early February after investigators said she was abducted from her home in Pima County, Arizona, prompting a large-scale search involving local and federal authorities.
In recent days, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is leading the investigation, conducted a series of individual televised interviews instead of holding formal joint press conferences with the FBI, prompting Chell to question the messaging and coordination.
"A big part of this is all about messaging" for law enforcement, "and you can't let your frustration come out during individual interviews," Chell said Wednesday on Newsmax's "National Report."
He added that he did not understand why the department was conducting solo interviews rather than joint briefings with federal partners.
"It's almost to the point where he's trying to help himself," Chell said of the sheriff's communication strategy. "I'd rather see joint interviews standing tall. Dress uniform, if you're going to do that kind of messaging in conjunction with the FBI."
Chell's remarks came after law enforcement confirmed DNA recovered from a glove found near Guthrie's home did not match any profiles in the FBI's national Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS.
Chell said discussing DNA publicly could alert those responsible.
"I don't know for the life of me why we're discussing DNA in an open airway," because "you know who's listening? The bad guy or bad guys are listening," he said.
Investigators said they believe Guthrie was taken from her home and have shared surveillance images of a masked suspect with a firearm and backpack in the hours before she was reported missing.
Blood confirmed to be Guthrie's was found at the scene and multiple gloves have been recovered during the search. No arrests have been announced.
Chell emphasized that public communication should be strategic and unified.
"The messaging here is key," he said. "Nineteen days into it, just very or 17 days into it, very, very desperate time. But you got to keep hope. You got to stand tall and you got to keep plugging away."
Chell also spoke to the need for press briefings even when there is no new information, suggesting better coordination with the FBI.
Chell added that discussions about the involvement of Guthrie's family in the investigation have complicated messaging.
"In terms of the family, I would deal with that after the fact," he said, pointing to earlier remarks from the sheriff that family members had been both excluded and still remained suspects.
Authorities have publicly stated that Guthrie's relatives, including Savannah Guthrie's family, have been cleared as suspects and are cooperating with investigators.
On the DNA front, investigators are now exploring genealogical testing after the CODIS search yielded no matches. Chell expressed confusion at updates focusing on forensic results rather than the broader strategy.
"We haven't heard from the FBI, and that's probably for a reason," Chell said. "Keeping it close to the vest … they probably have more leads that obviously they're not going to give out."
He urged authorities to cut through the "rumor mill" by presenting joint, clear, and consistent updates.
"Leave the noise alone," Chell said. "Focus on the investigation and keep it strategic and keep it tight."
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Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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