The sheriff spearheading the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, aged 84, has admitted that there were initial errors in handling the case. These included prematurely removing crime scene tape and postponing requests for help from other law enforcement agencies.
As reported by The Arizona Republic, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confessed that his team released Guthrie’s residence as a crime scene earlier than appropriate, only to revisit it days later to gather more evidence. He conceded that, in retrospect, the site should have remained secured longer and that collaboration with additional agencies should have been initiated sooner.
According to information obtained by Fox News Digital, a pilot from the county’s advanced search team faced disciplinary action and was reassigned to street patrol following a disagreement with Nanos. This led to a delay of several hours in deploying the aircraft after Guthrie was reported missing around midday on Sunday, as per local law enforcement sources.
“In the context of searching for a vulnerable adult, a delay of three hours is significant,” a law enforcement insider revealed to Fox News Digital.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, alongside the FBI special agent in charge and the assistant special agent in charge, provided a briefing at the Pima County Sheriff’s Department regarding a Border Patrol-involved shooting on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. (Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Star via AP)
The Pima County Deputies Organization has voiced criticism over the decision to reassign the pilot, expressing to Fox News Digital that they were against the move, as it left an essential law enforcement resource underutilized.
According to the deputy organization, the pilot personally appealed the decision to Sheriff Chris Nanos but was reassigned to patrol anyway. The group said the move reflected what it described as a broader pattern of leadership decisions, citing another instance in which the department’s most experienced Search and Rescue deputy was transferred to patrol late last year without a replacement.
The deputy organization said those staffing decisions left key units short-handed during what became one of the highest-profile searches in the sheriff’s department’s history and during one of the busiest times of year for Search and Rescue operations.
Nanos said investigators believed they had completed processing the scene at the time, but later determined that conclusion was premature.
Authorities believe Guthrie — the mother of NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie — was forcibly taken from her home in Tucson, Arizona, though no suspects or persons of interest have been publicly identified. Nanos said Thursday that investigators are continuing to pursue all leads.
“Everybody is still a suspect in our eyes,” Nanos said.
Investigators outlined a timeline of events during a news conference Thursday, saying Guthrie was dropped off at her home around 9:48 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, after having dinner with family.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, has been missing from her Arizona home since Jan. 31, 2026. (Don Arnold/WireImage/Getty Images)
Authorities said the home’s doorbell camera disconnected from the security system at 1:47 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 1. About 25 minutes later, software detected movement near the home, but no video footage was captured. At 2:28 a.m., Guthrie’s pacemaker application disconnected from her phone, which was later found inside the residence.
Nanos confirmed that blood discovered on the front porch was tested and that DNA analysis showed it belonged to Guthrie.
The FBI has since joined the investigation and is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery. Federal authorities said they are vetting ransom notes connected to the case and confirmed that at least one person has been arrested in connection with what investigators described as an “impostor ransom demand.”
The front of Nancy Guthrie’s house after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on Feb. 4, 2026. (Rebecca Noble/Reuters)
Nanos said the case has evolved into a possible kidnapping and that multiple agencies are now sharing information and resources. He added that it does not matter which agency is leading the investigation, saying the priority remains locating Guthrie.
Guthrie’s son, Camron Guthrie, made a new video appeal Thursday directed at whoever may be holding his mother, urging them to contact the family.
“We haven’t heard anything directly,” he said. “Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you.”
Authorities have not released additional details, citing the ongoing investigation.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
