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Missing woman’s sister says Nancy Guthrie case now a ‘hope roller coaster’ for family as search continues
As the search for Nancy Guthrie stretches past 50 days with no answers, one woman who has spent more than two decades searching for her own missing sister says this is the moment families fear most – when urgency begins to fade and the fight for answers becomes even harder.
Julie Murray, whose sister Maura Murray vanished in New Hampshire in 2004, said what the Guthrie family is experiencing right now is something she recognizes immediately.
"What they’re going through is something you never forget," Murray said. "You can see it on their faces. You can hear the desperation in their voices."
Murray said cases often begin with an intense surge of attention, resources, media coverage and public engagement, but that momentum can fade, leaving families to carry the burden.
METAL DETECTOR SCANS FRONT YARD OF SAVANNAH GUTHRIE’S MISSING MOTHER AS SISTER TO GET CAR BACK
"Most families… have to fight to be heard and beg for that level of attention," she said. "And some families don’t get any at all."
That attention, she emphasized, can be lifesaving.
"Media pressure saves lives."
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen Feb. 1 after being dropped off at her Tucson, Arizona home. Authorities believe she was taken against her will in the early morning hours.
Surveillance video captured a masked man, described as average height and build, approaching her home carrying a black backpack and what appeared to be a handgun. Investigators say Guthrie’s phone and watch were later recovered inside the home, while her pacemaker last synced with her Apple devices around 2:30 a.m., helping establish a possible timeline.
Despite weeks of investigation, authorities have not announced a suspect. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said Guthrie was likely targeted.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE’S $1M REWARD MIRRORS PAST KIDNAPPING CASES SOLVED BY CASH
The case has drawn national attention, driven in part by emotional public appeals from Guthrie’s daughter, NBC "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie.
"Someone needs to do the right thing. We are in agony," Guthrie said in a preview of her first formal interview since her mother’s disappearance.
In the same interview, she described the toll the uncertainty has taken.
"I wake up every night in the middle of the night… and in the darkness, I imagine her terror," she said. "She needs to come home now."
Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the FBI tip line.
Murray said the level of attention surrounding the Guthrie case can generate a surge of tips, but not all are actionable.
DID NANCY GUTHRIE'S ABDUCTOR RETURN TO THE CRIME SCENE?
"You’re begging the public for information, but at the same time you’re getting speculation and hearsay," she said. "Some of those tips you just can’t chase down."
Her family, she said, still receives tips more than 20 years after her sister vanished, none of which have led to answers.
Each one, however, carries emotional weight.
"I call it the hope roller coaster," Murray said. "You want it to be the one that breaks the case open… and then it doesn’t."
Retired LAPD Detective Moses Castillo said that emotional toll is already visible in the Guthrie family’s public appeals.
"You can feel every ounce of her pain, her strength, and her desperation," Castillo said. "That kind of resolve matters. It moves people. It forces attention."
He described Savannah Guthrie’s interview as "a call to action" that could help generate new leads.
Murray warned that one of the most difficult turning points in a case comes when investigators exhaust immediate leads.
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For Murray's family, that moment came just weeks after Maura disappeared.
"The worst day wasn’t the day she went missing," she said. "It was the day we were told they had done all they could."
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From that point forward, she said, the responsibility shifted to the family to keep pushing for answers—through media coverage, public pressure and independent efforts.
"You can’t let up on the pressure," she said.
Investigators have said the Guthrie case remains active, but have also warned the public not to assume there is no ongoing threat.
Families also face growing challenges as cases gain visibility, including online speculation and bad actors.
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"Trust becomes a casualty," Murray said, warning that some individuals attempt to exploit high-profile cases or spread misinformation.
More than two decades later, Murray said her family has come to terms with the likelihood that her sister is no longer alive—but they are still searching for answers.
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"There’s no such thing as closure," she said. "It’s resolution."
For families like the Guthries, that means continuing to push for answers, while hoping the right tip finally comes in.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance to contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI. A combined reward of more than $1 million is being offered for information leading to her return.
Fox News Digital's Brian Flood, Hanna Panreck and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
Illegal immigrant accused of groping girls at Virginia high school facing new charges
An illegal immigrant accused of groping girls at his high school in Virginia is now facing additional charges after more victims came forward, according to police.
Israel Flores Ortiz, 18, was already facing nine counts of assault and battery for allegedly inappropriately touching female classmates at a Fairfax County school.
Fairfax police were alerted on March 5 by Fairfax High School about reports of multiple assaults on campus. An arrest warrant was issued, and Flores Ortiz turned himself in on March 7.
On Wednesday, police said he was served with four more counts of the same charges after additional victims reported his behavior during the investigation.
Flores Ortiz is currently being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.
The Department of Homeland Security said the suspect is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who arrived in the U.S. in 2024.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement said a detainer has been filed on Flores Ortiz.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASED UNDER BIDEN CHARGED WITH GROPING FEMALE STUDENTS AT VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL
"We are calling on Fairfax County to honor our detainer to ensure this violent criminal is removed from our country so he can never claim another victim again," DHS said in a statement to Fox 5.
Parents in Fairfax County had voiced outrage after his initial charges.
"It's terrifying as a parent because when I send my daughters to school, I think they're safe in the care of the school," parent Stacy Langton told Fox News Digital. "And in this case, they absolutely were not safe, and I don't know what parent wouldn't be completely distraught at the idea that their daughters could be getting sexually battered while they're changing classes."
Fairfax County Public Schools released a statement last week saying that it prioritizes the safety of students and staff.
"While Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is unable to comment on specifics due to federal and state privacy laws, we prioritize student and staff safety and we fully investigate any time someone shares that an incident has occurred at school, or that they do not feel safe at school," the district said at the time. "We are grateful to our law enforcement partners who continue to work swiftly and thoroughly when there are safety concerns in our schools. The safety of all FCPS students and staff remains a top priority."
New Jersey Gov Sherrill signs law barring ICE agents from wearing face coverings to shield identities
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, signed legislation on Wednesday to limit the use of face coverings for law enforcement, including federal ICE agents,
The law, which requires officers to present identification before detaining someone, comes as some federal agents have sought to hide their identities during immigration raids in communities across the country.
Sherrill, who was sworn into office in January, said the mask restriction is part of an effort to ensure the safety of residents of the Garden State.
"I can't believe we have to say this, but in the United States of America, we're not going to tolerate masked roving militias pretending, pretending to be well-trained law enforcement agents," she said.
The law is part of a package that the governor said will "protect people’s privacy and their rights" and "strengthen trust between law enforcement and our communities."
Democrats in Congress and in various state legislatures have sought for months to adopt measures that would ban immigration agents from wearing masks to hide their identities, arguing that such legislation is needed to ensure transparency.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, also signed a law earlier this month limiting face coverings for ICE agents.
The Department of Homeland Security has criticized efforts to unmask ICE agents, including calling the new Washington state measure "irresponsible, reckless and dangerous."
"To be crystal clear: we will not abide by this unconstitutional ban," the department said at the time.
Sherrill's signature on Wednesday comes as she continues to target the Trump administration's immigration raids. Earlier this year, she announced a portal to allow residents to upload photos and videos of ICE agents conducting immigration operations.
"If you see an ICE agent in the street, get your phone out, we want to know," Sherrill said at the time. "They have not been forthcoming. They will pick people up, they will not tell us who they are, they will not tell us if they’re here legally, they won’t check. They’ll pick up American citizens. They picked up a five-year-old child. We want documentation, and we are going to make sure we get it."
"We saw people in the street with masks and no insignia. So not accountable at all, hiding from the population — and we saw again and again an undermining of what law enforcement should do to keep people safe," she added.
The Trump administration is also suing New Jersey over Sherrill's executive order last month that prohibits federal immigration agents from making arrests in nonpublic areas of state property, including correctional facilities and courthouses. The order also blocks the use of state property as a staging or processing area for immigration enforcement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump admin makes new criminal referrals to DOJ targeting New York AG Letitia James
The Trump administration has made new criminal referrals to the Department of Justice targeting New York Attorney General Letitia James, Fox News has confirmed.
The referrals, submitted by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, allege potential insurance fraud tied to properties linked to James and have been sent to U.S. attorneys in Florida and, reportedly, Illinois for review.
"The Department of Justice can confirm that referrals were received by our U.S. Attorney Offices," a DOJ spokesperson told Fox News.
One of the referrals obtained by Fox News alleged "suspected homeowners insurance fraud."
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The criminal referral was transmitted to Jason Quinones, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, who will determine whether to move forward with a prosecution. His office would then need to seek a grand jury indictment.
The referral comes after bank fraud charges against James were dismissed late last year by a Clinton-appointed judge, and a grand jury in Virginia later refused to re-indict her.
The judge threw out the indictments against James and former FBI Director James Comey after finding they were illegitimate because they were brought by an unqualified U.S. attorney.
FEDERAL JUDGE HITS DOJ FOR 'INDICT FIRST, INVESTIGATE LATER' APPROACH IN COURT HEARING
In one of the criminal referrals, Pulte said it appears that James "may have falsified information on her homeowners insurance application" to a Fort Lauderdale-based company, Universal Property Insurance.
The referral cites social media posts from Mike Davis, a longtime attorney and ally to President Donald Trump.
Pulte stated that based on the post from Davis, the New York attorney general "may have made false representations that her property would be unoccupied five months out of the year."
According to the post, that information may be false, Pulte said.
"The house was, in fact, occupied year-round by her niece," he continued.
"As such, it appears Ms. James may have defrauded the Florida-based insurance company," Pulte added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to James’ office and her attorney for comment.
Gorman family calls out Johnson and Pritzker following college student's killing in Chicago
The family of Sheridan Gorman is pushing back on comments from Chicago and Illinois leaders, saying her killing was not a "senseless tragedy" and demanding accountability for what they call systemic failures.
18-year-old Gorman was killed on March 19 at around 1:06 a.m. while she was with friends at a pier on the city's Rogers Park area. Officials say that Jose Medina-Medina, 25, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, allegedly fired one shot at the Loyola University Chicago student, killing her. Medina-Medina was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol on May 9, 2023, and was released into the U.S. under the Biden administration, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The Gorman family on Wednesday released a statement criticizing both Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, saying that her death "demands accountability."
"What happened to Sheridan cannot be reduced to a ‘senseless tragedy,’ nor can it be explained in general terms about public safety. Sheridan was our daughter. She was 18 years old. She was doing something entirely normal—walking near her campus with friends. She should be here," the Gorman family said regarding recent comments by Johnson.
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"Calling this ‘senseless’ is not enough. There must be a clear and honest accounting of what went wrong," the family added. "We will not allow Sheridan’s life to be reduced to a talking point or a generalization. We expect leadership that is willing to confront hard truths and ensure that what happened to her does not happen again."
Gorman's family also responded to Gov. Pritzker's recent comments on the freshman college student's death, writing that "calling this a tragedy is not enough."
"Sheridan’s death cannot be reduced to a general "tragedy," nor can it be explained away by broad references to failures somewhere else. Sheridan was a daughter, a sister, and a young woman whose life was taken in a way that should never have been possible," the family said. "We are not interested in political arguments or in watching responsibility shift from one place to another. If there were failures—as the Governor himself has acknowledged—then every one of them must be identified, examined, and addressed directly. The location of those failures matters less than the willingness to confront them honestly."
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"Our daughter is not a policy debate. She is a life that was taken, and that demands accountability," they added.
Pritzker on Tuesday shifted blame to the Trump administration during an event, according to the Chicago Tribune.
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"This has been a terrible tragedy, and I know that the Gorman family has suffered mightily… There have been real failures. Those failures, of course, extend beyond the borders of Illinois. That’s their national failures, a failure to have comprehensive immigration reform, a failure of the president to follow his own edict to go after the worst of the worst," Pritzker said.
Johnson on Tuesday also addressed Gorman's death, saying that her life was taken due to "senseless violence," but called out President Trump as well.
"There's no words that one could express that could properly console a family that lost their baby. And my condolences to the Gorman family," Johnson said. "You know what the bigger threat to our public safety, it's illegal weapons that are being trafficked from bordering states that voted for Donald Trump. This president refuses to be held accountable. And he points the finger at everything and everyone else versus doing some real self-reflection on what his responsibility is."
"We know that this president has not taken this situation in this challenge in our country seriously, because my question would be, isn't it time for the president of the United States of America in Congress to actually act and pass comprehensive immigration reform?" Johnson continued.
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"There's no words that one could express that could properly console a family that lost their baby. And my condolences to the Gorman family," Johnson said.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said President Donald Trump's immigration policies have kept Americans safe.
"In record time, President Trump has totally secured the border, ended Biden’s border crisis, and deported countless dangerous criminal illegal aliens. Those are real solutions that keep the American people safe. Meanwhile, slobs like Pritzker have constantly defended dangerous criminal illegal aliens and attempted to obstruct the important work of the Trump Administration. Pritzker’s policies make the American people less safe," Jackson said.
Homes in Yorktown Heights, New York, Gorman's hometown, were lit up in green on Tuesday night to honor the slain Chicago college student. according to CBS News.
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An arrest report obtained by obtained by Fox News Digital shows that Medina-Medina was seen on security video in his apartment building's lobby waiting for an elevator while unmasked after the alleged shooting. A building engineer told police that he knew the suspect, who had a "very distinct limp and gait."
Police said Medina-Medina was wearing a black mask and black clothing as he walked away from the shooting, noting that he had a "distinct limp and slow gait." He was seen walking from the location of the shooting to Pratt Boulevard at 1:12 a.m. Just a few minutes later, the individual was seen walking northbound through the east alley of Sheridan Road before he entered the back of his apartment complex.
Images of the suspect were sent to a police database, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection identified the suspect as Medina-Medina. He was arrested at his apartment in Rogers Park, according to the arrest report.
Medina-Medina told officials in 2023 that he was living at Leone Beach Park fieldhouse in Rogers Park in 2023, which was being used as a city-sponsored shelter for migrants. The shelter closed in 2024, according to South Side Weekly.
Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson and Pritzker's office.
Iran is 'trying to give the global economy a heart attack' by closing Strait of Hormuz, UAE minister says
Iran is trying to give the global economy a "heart attack" with its closure of the Strait of Hormuz, United Arab Emirates official Lana Nusseibeh told Fox News on Wednesday.
The crucial energy causeway’s closure has disrupted the flow of gas and oil across the globe in a war Nusseibeh said her country didn’t ask for. The UAE has continued to weather Iranian missile and drone attacks as part of Iran’s regional retaliation.
"What happens in the Gulf clearly doesn’t stay in the Gulf," Nusseibeh, who is her country's minister of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on "Special Report."
"Iran’s attack on Gulf allies of the United States and Jordan is an attack on the entire world," she continued.
IRAN CHOKES STRAIT OF HORMUZ WITH REPORTED $2M TANKER TOLL, REGIME THREATENS GLOBAL OIL SUPPLY
"We’ve always tried the diplomatic channel with Iran," she said. "We’ve tried it for decades."
The minister said she traveled to Tehran in early February to negotiate with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in what were then reported as "useful and constructive talks."
The Emirati diplomatic official said the United States’ concerns over Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missiles and support of non-state terrorist actors in the region were "well-understood" by Dubai, but Iran took an "irresponsible decision."
"Instead of negotiating over those issues, they chose instead to fire over 2,200 missiles and drones at the United Arab Emirates," she said.
"Eighty-nine percent of their targets have been civilian infrastructure in my country," Nusseibeh added. "This has to stop."
"The question is, ‘Why?’" Nusseibeh continued. "The answer is because we are an idea that threatens Iran."
The UAE was one of the initial signing members of the Abraham Accords, a treaty signed during the first Trump administration pursuing normalization and diplomatic relations between Israel and its neighbors.
"We are open, we are progressive, we are tolerant, we’re a vibrant economy," she said. "And what have they done for their people with the resources that they have?"
Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier also asked Nusseibeh her opinion on the war’s timeline and the potential for the UAE to get involved offensively.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that "talks continue" between the United States and Iran, despite reports of Iran’s rejection of a U.S. peace proposal and the subsequent U.S.-Israeli rejection of Tehran’s counter-proposal.
TRUMP TOUTS ‘MASSIVE’ IRAN ‘PRESENT’ LINKED TO STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS DEAL TALKS HEAT UP
Emirati Amb. to the U.S. Yousef Al Otaiba cautioned that a "simple cease-fire isn’t enough" in a Wall Street Journal opinion article.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been pushing President Donald Trump to continue the war in Iran until the regime is toppled, Fox News previously reported.
"The UAE is always for a diplomatic off-ramp," Nusseibeh said. "But we need to use diplomacy when Iran understands that its behavior as a rogue actor is not acceptable."
"The light at the end of the tunnel is in Iran’s hands," she noted earlier in the interview.
Journalist tells San Francisco board ‘Nick Shirley’s coming to town’ amid fentanyl, crime concerns
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors was confronted with a heated public comment this week as conservative independent journalist Darren Stallcup warned that "Nick Shirley's coming to town," tying the visit to broader concerns over child fentanyl deaths, crime, and homelessness.
"This week, a 2-year-old child overdosed and died on fentanyl in San Francisco," the speaker said before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. "This is not the first child who's died from fentanyl in our city, and unfortunately, it probably won't be the last."
The remarks come as San Francisco continues to grapple with a years-long fentanyl crisis that has driven thousands of overdose deaths. City data and public health reporting have documented a sharp rise in fentanyl-related fatalities since 2019, with the synthetic opioid now the leading cause of overdose deaths in the city.
Officials also face ongoing scrutiny over public safety conditions, open-air drug use, and homelessness across major corridors and neighborhoods.
"Walking around downtown San Francisco today, I see outside of our schools and playgrounds… just everywhere you look are the signs of the decline of Western civilization," Stallcup said, pointing to visible drug activity and street conditions.
In the address, the speaker characterized fentanyl trafficking as part of a broader international pipeline.
"Fentanyl is a form of chemical warfare on the American people. It comes from China, across the southern border into our community, big cities and small towns."
He argued the crisis is driven by international trafficking networks, linking the flow of fentanyl into U.S. communities to broader cross-border dynamics.
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"I love immigrants. I believe they're some of the best people in the world," the speaker added. "Unfortunately, there are fentanyl dealers here in our community, transnational narco-terrorists who are exploiting and taking advantage of our sanctuary city."
Stallcup's comments also referenced the scale of fatalities in San Francisco over recent years.
"Five thousand people of all races and religions have died from fentanyl in San Francisco between the years 2019 [and] 2026, including many of my family and friends," Stallcup noted.
Stallcup further criticized local leadership and spending priorities tied to homelessness programs.
"Corrupt, far-left Democrats such as yourselves have enabled chaos and lawlessness for financial gain via fentanyl through corrupt nonprofits… that benefit from the suffering of the less fortunate on the streets," he said.
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"We are on the 20th-year anniversary of Gavin Newsom's ten-year plan to solve homelessness. Billions of dollars have been spent only for the situation to get worse," Stallcup added, saying he had dealt with multiple break-ins.
"Nick Shirley’s coming to town next week, and you guys will all be under the magnifying glass," Stallcup said.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors and Stallcup did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
DOJ settles with Michael Flynn over Russia probe after wrongful prosecution claim: 'Historic injustice'
The Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a settlement Wednesday with Michael Flynn, the former national security advisor to President Donald Trump, over a legal battle tied to his contacts with a Russian diplomat during the Mueller probe.
Official court papers seen by Fox News Digital do not disclose the financial terms of the settlement, but the government is said to be paying Flynn approximately $1.2 million to resolve the matter, The Associated Press reported.
The agreement concludes a lengthy legal saga stemming from the Russia investigation.
Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, pleaded guilty on Dec. 1, 2017, to giving false statements to the FBI about his communications with Russia’s ambassador to the United States.
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Those discussions included Russia’s response to U.S. sanctions and a United Nations Security Council resolution regarding Israel.
The charge stemmed from Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference and possible links between Trump campaign officials and Russian figures.
Mueller, a former FBI director who led the bureau from 2001 to 2013, later served as special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, a probe that shadowed much of Trump’s presidency.
He brought charges against multiple Trump associates, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Flynn.
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His final report detailed extensive contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia, but did not establish a criminal conspiracy. Flynn later sought to withdraw his guilty plea and accused federal prosecutors of acting in bad faith.
By 2019, he claimed innocence, citing alleged FBI misconduct.
Although Flynn was pardoned by Trump in late 2020, he filed a lawsuit in 2023 seeking at least $50 million in damages, alleging wrongful and malicious prosecution.
He argued the case, brought by what he described as a "virulently anti-Trump leadership" within the FBI, cost him tens of millions of dollars in business opportunities and future earning potential.
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Under the previous administration, the DOJ moved to dismiss Flynn’s complaint. Now, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, a critic of the Russia probe, the department changed course.
In a statement, the DOJ called the settlement an "important step in redressing" what it described as a "historic injustice," The Associated Press reported.
A spokesperson said the department will pursue accountability to ensure such "weaponization of the federal government" does not recur.
According to a notice of settlement filed in the Middle District of Florida, the case will be dismissed with prejudice once Flynn confirms receipt of the funds, preventing the claims from being refiled.
The filing states each party will bear its own legal costs and that the court will not retain jurisdiction over the agreement.
In a statement Wednesday, Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said: "The Department of Justice’s reported decision to pay out more than $1 million of taxpayers’ dollars to Michael Flynn is as outrageous as it is indefensible."
Warner also described the settlement as one that "sends exactly the wrong message to our adversaries, to our intelligence professionals, and to the American people.
"It undermines the rule of law, demeans the work of the men and women who safeguard our national security, and suggests that accountability depends on who you are and who you know, not what you’ve done."
The DOJ did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Wine, beer or liquor: Study finds one drink is linked to lower risk of death than others
Not all types of alcohol are created equal, and a new study suggests that wine may carry lower health risks than beer or hard liquor.
In a March 19 news release, the American College of Cardiology outlined findings from the research, which analyzed how alcohol type and intake levels impact the risk of death.
The study, to be presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session from March 28–30, followed more than 340,000 British adults between 2006 and 2022.
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Using UK Biobank data, researchers analyzed participant questionnaires. The adults were placed into one of four groups based on their alcohol consumption levels.
The study was observational, meaning the findings show an association but cannot prove cause and effect.
Alcohol consumption was measured using standard drink equivalents.
For example, 12-ounce cans of beer, 5-ounce glasses of wine and 1.5-ounce shots of spirits all contain the same amount of pure alcohol, which is around 14 grams.
Analyzing cardiovascular disease deaths, researchers discovered that moderate wine drinkers had a 21% lower risk of dying from the disease than people who never drank or occasionally drank. Though, once again, the study was observational in nature only. Experts have urged caution in interpreting such findings.
"By contrast, even low intake of spirits, beer or cider was associated with a 9% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with drinking never or occasionally," the American College of Cardiology's news release said.
High alcohol consumption also increased overall health risks.
People with high alcohol intake were 24% more likely to die from any cause.
They were also 36% more likely to die from cancer and 14% more likely to die from cardiovascular disease.
But the study also found that beer, cider and liquor may be linked to higher health risks than wine, even in small amounts.
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"Differences in risk by alcohol type emerged at low and moderate levels of consumption, where drinking spirits, beer or cider was associated with a significantly higher risk of death while the same level of wine consumption was associated with a significantly lower risk of death," the release stated.
The findings help clarify "mixed evidence" about the effects of alcohol consumption, said Zhangling Chen, a professor at the Central South University in China and the lead author of the study.
"These findings can help refine guidance, emphasizing that the health risks of alcohol depend not only on the amount of alcohol consumed, but also on the type of beverage," Chen said in the release.
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"Even low to moderate intake of spirits, beer or cider is linked to higher mortality, while low to moderate intake of wine may carry lower risk."
The study's findings are informative but not conclusive, said Julian Braithwaite, president and CEO of the London-based International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, which was not involved in the study.
The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking is "supported by the leading global beer, wine and spirits producers," according to its website.
"Given these data have not been published in a peer-reviewed journal, it is difficult to fully interpret the findings," Braithwaite told Fox News Digital.
"However, they are a helpful reminder that alcohol and health is not an all-or-nothing issue. Risk depends on how much people drink and the wider lifestyle context in which drinking happens.
"It also reinforces why oversimplified claims are unhelpful and why adults should speak with a healthcare professional and make informed choices based on their individual circumstances."
As Fox News Digital has previously reported, medical experts are increasingly cautioning about the dangers of any amount of alcohol.
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida-based neurosurgeon who also runs a longevity practice, has stated that alcohol is a toxin.
"We've known this for eons. This is nothing new," he told Fox News Digital last year.
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"I know the age-old adage that you can have a drink or two a day, and it's good for your heart. No, it’s not," Osborn said.
"It's not good for your heart. It's not good for your brain. It's not good for your waistline."
Melissa Rudy of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
Cop on trial denies gunning for fellow officer in clash at home; prosecutors argue lethal risk was real
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
A former Massachusetts police officer on trial for attempting to kill her fellow brother in blue took the stand to testify that she never intended to hurt her colleague.
Kelsey Fitzsimmons, a North Andover police officer at the time, vehemently denied attempting to kill her fellow officer. She said on the stand she was attempting to kill herself when officers arrived to serve a restraining order obtained by her fiancé, Justin Aylaian.
Fitzsimmons' defense attorney, Timothy Bradl, asked if she "moved the muzzle of that gun towards [Officer Patrick] Noonan."
"No, never," Fitzsimmons testified.
Fitzsimmons was shot by a fellow officer after she allegedly pointed a gun at him and attempted to fire it on June 25, 2025. The 28-year-old was arrested and arraigned on one count of armed assault with intent to murder and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.
She was indicted in Essex Superior Court later that month, and the charges were presented to a grand jury. The grand jury chose to charge her with just one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. Fitzsimmons is now facing a bench trial.
Prosecutors allege she tried to shoot Patrick Noonan as he was serving her a restraining order from her fiancé. Fitzsimmons disputes this version of events, maintaining she was pointing the gun at herself in a suicide attempt and didn't want to reach out to the community of officers at her station.
"I didn't want to involve anybody. I wanted to take my own life," she said. "I never pointed the gun at a fellow police officer. It never happened."
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While testifying Wednesday, Fitzsimmons recounted the moment she was shot.
"I went into like a huge adrenaline shock. It didn't feel like normal pain. It almost felt like absent pain, but it felt like my entire body was burning, and I was completely alert, completely awake the whole time," Fitzsimmons said.
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"I was speaking as much as I could. My lung was punctured, so that's why I was having trouble breathing, but other than that, I was very alert and aware of my surroundings."
Later, the former officer shared that as the fire department and additional resources arrived at her home and took her to the hospital that she repeatedly said she "wanted to die."
"They brought me outside, and I think when I was still in my house, one of the firefighters was trying to put oxygen on my face, and I was taking it off and just saying, 'I want to die, I want to die, I want to die.'"
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Fitzsimmons has pleaded not guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in the June 2025 incident.
Prosecutors rested their case Wednesday.