Bungling Nancy Guthrie probers ignored blood on porch, thinking it was unrelated, and opened crime scene: report

Key Points:

• Investigators in the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie allegedly ignored blood found on her porch early in the probe, failing to secure the crime scene for two days and allowing public access amid media frenzy.
• The blood, later confirmed by DNA to be Nancy’s, was initially thought to be unrelated to the case, but is now believed to be connected to her kidnapping.
• A search-and-rescue plane was grounded for the first day due to lack of trained personnel, and investigators spent critical hours debating whether Nancy was kidnapped or lost.
• Sgt. David Stivers, head of homicide for Pima County, reportedly showed poor judgment by overlooking the blood evidence; he had been reprimanded two months earlier for similar investigative delays.
• Two ransom notes were sent to Nancy’s family demanding bitcoin payment, with the first threatening her death if unpaid by Feb. 9, and the second claiming she died accidentally and was buried in nature; no further communication has been received.