The FBI once suspected that a piece of evidence in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case had been planted by someone in the media, according to US broadcaster and lawyer Harvey Levin, in a claim that throws fresh scrutiny on the early days of the Arizona search.
Speaking on 4 July 2026, Levin said an FBI contact had told him the bureau believed one particular item recovered after the disappearance of Today show host Savannah Guthrie's mother might have been staged to draw attention.