A Wall Street Journal report has raised questions about how the Pima County Sheriff's Department handled the search for Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" host Savannah Guthrie, who has been missing since being kidnapped in February with little progress made since. The report alleges a series of missteps, including concerns over the homicide unit's leadership, mishandled evidence and delays affecting the search operation, findings that Sheriff Chris Nanos has disputed while insisting the case remains active.

The WSJ reported that homicide sergeant David Stivers, appointed by Nanos, had reportedly been reprimanded for "poor judgment" two months before the case over delays securing evidence in an earlier homicide, which was later dropped for insufficient evidence. Investigators are said to have initially overlooked dried blood found on Guthrie's porch on 1 February, later confirmed by DNA testing to be hers, while deputies also allegedly failed to cordon off the property, letting delivery drivers and members of the public onto the porch. The paper also claimed the department's senior pilot had been demoted shortly before the kidnapping, delaying the deployment of a search-and-rescue plane. Nanos rejected the report's characterisation, saying the department was working hard with partners including outside experts, while Savannah Guthrie has continued to appeal publicly for information leading to her mother's safe return.