As the case involving Nancy Guthrie unfolds, a former FBI agent is pushing back on the idea that the home’s back door was used as an escape route. Speaking on NewsNation, former FBI special agent Raymond Carr told anchor Elizabeth Vargas that he believes the door may have played a different role, according to a report by Mandatory.
“I don’t think that the back door was an exit, I think it was an entry,” Carr said about Nancy Guthrie. “I think that’s how additional individuals may have been let into the home.”
“Today” show host Savannah Guthrie says her family is in agony, and she believes her own notoriety contributed to her mother’s kidnapping in her first interview since Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance seven weeks ago. pic.twitter.com/wijNBEeVkC
— CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil (@CBSEveningNews) March 26, 2026
Carr emphasized that evidence appears to point toward the front of the Nancy Guthrie house as the likely exit point. “I agree with the SWAT commander that they had to leave from the front of the home because of the blood that was found on the steps and on the porch,” he explained. “There’s no doubt in my mind that she left from the front.”
His theory aligns with comments previously made by Savannah Guthrie, who has spoken publicly about her mother’s disappearance. During an appearance on Today, she said her family initially questioned whether paramedics may have entered overnight “because the back doors were propped open,” though she noted the details ultimately did not make sense.
Savannah Guthrie emphasized that it was highly unlikely her mother left the home voluntarily, pointing to her limited mobility. “My mom, she was in tremendous pain,” she said, adding, “On a good day, she could walk down to the mailbox and get the mail, but most days not. So there was no wander off.”
Nancy Guthrie is rarely pictured without a necklace on…
She’s missing, but is any of her jewelry❓
💎
— Erin Greene (@ErinGreeneOne) April 1, 2026
Carr echoed that assessment on NewsNation, arguing that the circumstances suggest more than one person may have been involved in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. When Elizabeth Vargas pointed out how challenging it would be to move an 84-year-old woman across difficult terrain, Carr agreed, saying it would have been “absolutely” too much for a single individual to handle alone.
The current Pima County sheriff is facing criticism from one of his predecessors as scrutiny intensifies over the handling of the Nancy Guthrie case. Chris Nanos has led the investigation since Guthrie was reported missing on February 1, but his efforts have drawn limited praise.
Richard Carmona, who once rose to the rank of deputy sheriff in Pima County before later serving as Surgeon General under former President George W. Bush, said he believes the investigation has been “corrupted” and is calling for swift action in response to what he views as serious missteps.
While Carmona understands the pressures of the role, he has not held back in his criticism. Speaking to Brian Entin Investigates, he warned that once a crime scene is compromised, “that’s the end of it,” describing the alleged error as a “fundamental error.”
One incident raising concerns involves newly surfaced footage showing a pizza delivery vehicle driving across the front lawn during the active investigation. Carmona said defense attorneys could potentially use that to challenge the integrity of any evidence collected at the scene where Nancy may have been taken. Though he did not explicitly call for it, Carmona suggested Nanos’ position may be untenable. “You cannot lead without trust,” he said, adding that he believes public confidence has been damaged.
Nanos and his team have faced repeated criticism throughout the investigation. Just weeks earlier, he drew backlash after stating he believed the suspected abductor could potentially strike again—a comment some experts said fueled unnecessary public fear. He declined to elaborate on that claim, citing what he described as the “integrity of the investigation.”
