Arizona Sheriff Pushes Back On Claims He Blocked FBI Evidence In Nancy Guthrie Case
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is forcefully rejecting accusations that he blocked the FBI from accessing key evidence in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, calling the claims false and warning that media coverage risks creating unnecessary division between agencies working the case.
The dispute began after an anonymous federal source claimed the sheriff withheld a glove and DNA evidence recovered from Guthrie’s Tucson home and instead sent the material to a private lab in Florida rather than the FBI’s Quantico facility. Nanos responded publicly, saying the allegation was “not even close to the truth” and insisting his office has maintained full cooperation with federal investigators.
According to Nanos, discussions about where to send DNA evidence were made collaboratively. He said the FBI initially suggested sending only select items for testing, but he pushed to send all collected materials to a single lab where all DNA profiles and markers could be processed together. He said agents agreed with that approach after discussion.
The sheriff also downplayed the potential importance of gloves discovered along a nearby roadway, noting that multiple similar gloves have been found throughout the surrounding Catalina Foothills area. Investigators are still working to determine whether any of the items are directly tied to the suspect captured on security video outside Guthrie’s home.
Jurisdiction remains with the sheriff’s office because no confirmed federal crime has been established. However, federal authorities continue assisting the investigation, which is common in high profile missing person cases. Law enforcement observers note that disagreements between local and federal agencies are not unusual during complex investigations.
Nanos has faced growing criticism as the case enters its second week, including scrutiny over early messaging, the decision to release the home as a crime scene after one day, and his attendance at a University of Arizona basketball game while the search remained active. He responded by urging critics to wait until the investigation concludes before judging decisions made during the search effort.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen January 31 after being dropped off at her Tucson home following dinner with family. Investigators have not confirmed whether the case is a kidnapping, home invasion, or another type of crime. Authorities have also warned that ransom messages sent to media outlets may be unrelated attempts to exploit the case.
The FBI has released a suspect description based on doorbell camera footage, identifying a male roughly 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall with an average build, wearing a black Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack. The bureau has now raised its reward to $100,000 for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery or the arrest of those responsible, after receiving more than 13,000 public tips.