Pima County, Ariz., Sheriff Chris Nanos indicated Saturday that authorities are nearing a resolution in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC's Savannah Guthrie. When approached by Fox News reporters outside his department, Nanos declined to provide specifics but answered affirmatively when asked if investigators were close to solving the case, saying “We are” before entering his vehicle.
The case has drawn national attention since Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home on February 1. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI have employed DNA analysis to identify potential leads and suspects. Genetic genealogist Cece Moore told NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network, that because the investigation remains active, any DNA evidence will be processed promptly to expedite results.
Nanos is simultaneously fighting to keep his job. The Pima County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on May 12 on whether to discipline or remove him, citing what Supervisor Matt Heinz described as “significant deficiencies in his response” to a required report. Heinz told Arizona Luminaria that Nanos’ filing did not meet statutory requirements, raising the stakes for the sheriff as he manages the high-profile probe.
The search for Guthrie has also sparked tension between local and federal authorities. FBI Director Kash Patel told Sean Hannity in a podcast interview on Tuesday that the bureau was “kept out” of the investigation for the first four days. Patel criticized the decision by Nanos’ office to send DNA collected from Guthrie’s home to a private lab in Florida rather than the FBI’s facility in Quantico, Virginia. “It’s a state and local matter, so it’s their call,” Patel said, but added, “We would’ve analyzed it within days and maybe gotten better information. Our lab’s just better than any other private lab out there.”
In a statement responding to Patel’s remarks, Nanos defended his department’s actions, asserting that the FBI “was promptly notified by both our department and the Guthrie family.” He emphasized that coordination with the bureau began immediately and that decisions about evidence processing were made on scene based on operational needs. The private lab and the FBI laboratory have maintained a close partnership, he said, and continue to collaborate on evidence analysis.
The political backdrop adds another layer: Nanos’ potential removal comes amid broader Republican scrutiny of local law enforcement handling of sensitive cases. The vote on May 12 will determine whether the board moves to oust him, a rare step that could reshape the investigation’s leadership. For now, the sheriff maintains that progress is being made, even as questions linger about the early handling of the case.
