The organization’s VP claims they made several bids to aid the search for Savannah Guthrie’s mother, including submitting a detailed plan.

Sheriff in Nancy Guthrie case refused search-and-rescue help, says United Cajun Navy

The organization's VP claims they made several bids to aid the search for Savannah Guthrie's mother, including submitting a detailed plan.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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June 30, 2026 2:32 p.m. ET

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Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos; Nancy Guthrie. Credit:

Jan Sonnenmair/Getty; Savannah Guthrie/Instagram

- The Pima County Sheriff's Office turned down help in the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie from the United Cajun Navy, the organization claimed.

- The mother of *Today *anchor Savannah Guthrie was last seen on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day.

- "We're very good at search and rescue. We have a lot of good resources we could have brought to the area," said UCN Vice President Brian Trascher.

The Pima County Sheriff leading the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie refused help in its search efforts from the United Cajun Navy, according to the organization's vice president.

In a Monday interview on NewsNation's *Katie Pavlich Tonight*, Brian Trascher said he made several bids to aid in the search for the 84-year-old mother of *Today* host Savannah Guthrie, but claimed authorities rejected multiple offers from the nonprofit, which specializes in delivering rapid disaster response, search & rescue, and humanitarian aid across the nation.

"We really felt strongly that there was a good chance that she could have ended up somewhere along the border," Trascher said, claiming the United Cajun Navy submitted a detailed plan to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos outlining how the group could help in the search for Guthrie.

He said the organization was prepared to deploy K-9 and drone teams in the area to provide an "extra set of eyes, ears, hands and feet" and help bring "some closure" to the Guthrie family.

Sheriff Nanos speaks to the media on Feb. 3 in Tucson.

Jan Sonnenmair/Getty

Trascher continued, "We're very good at search and rescue. We have a lot of good resources we could have brought to the area, other partner groups that we work with in the area are willing to come to the area and help us search."

He added, "I think early on when we were closer to the abduction date, it would have been a lot more beneficial. At this point — I hate to say it — but you'd just be looking for remains, which would be valuable for the family, to be able to have that closure. But for some reason, they just decided they were not going to take the outside help. So we just kind of went back to what we’re doing."

As for why their aid was not accepted, Trascher claimed to Pavlich that there was a "blanket declaration from the sheriff’s office" to not accept any outside help.

The Pima County Sheriff's office did not immediately respond to **'s request for comment.

Nancy Guthrie and Savannah Guthrie in 2015.

Don Arnold/WireImage

The sheriff's department has been under increased scrutiny as the search for Nancy's whereabouts enters its fifth month.

In the early days of the investigation, FBI Director Kash Patel claimed that the federal agency was kept away from the crime scene until four days after Guthrie was reported missing. In June, Patel doubled down on these claims, telling NewsNation that the FBI "showed up immediately" but were not initially able to offer assistance.

"And that's their choice," Patel said. "We continue to offer assistance. I even visited our Tucson office where we had 150 agents and analysts working on the Nancy Guthrie case to provide intelligence… Same thing with the DNA. We offered our assistance to go test the DNA. And it’s up to them. They chose to use a private laboratory."

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In response, the Pima County Sheriff's Department told ** that "the facts have not changed" since their May 5 statement responding to Patel's initial claims.

"Sheriff Nanos responded to the scene the night of the incident, providing immediate local leadership and oversight," the statement read. "A member of the FBI Task Force was also notified and present at that scene working alongside our personnel.

The department stated that the FBI was informed "promptly" by both local authorities and the Guthrie family, adding, "While the FBI Director was not on scene, coordination with the Bureau began without delay."

Missing-person poster for Nancy Guthrie.

Pima County Sheriff's Department

Nancy was last seen on Jan. 31 after she was dropped off at her Tucson home that evening. She was reported missing the following day when she failed to show up to a friend's home for a remote church service. Her home was declared a crime scene in early February.

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Since Nancy went missing, Savannah and her siblings have been pleading with the public for any information they have.

"We are in agony, and we cannot be at peace," she said on the June 23 episode of *Today*. "No matter how much I try to come out here every day and smile and find that joy, and I will — I promise I will — this is a moment to tell you that we need your help. We're begging for help, and I'm not going to miss that opportunity."

The FBI has offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to Nancy's recovery. The Guthrie family, meanwhile, have offered their own reward of $1 million.

Anyone with information about Nancy's disappearance is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Pima County Sheriff's Department at 520-351-4900.

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