Sheriff In Nancy Guthrie Investigation Under Scrutiny After Shunning FBI
Amid growing national scrutiny over the disappearance of 84-year-old Tucson resident Nancy Guthrie, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is forcefully rejecting claims that his office is obstructing federal investigators.
In an interview with KVOA, Nanos dismissed allegations that the FBI has been denied access to key forensic material as politically charged misinformation.
“not even close to the truth.”
Forensic Dispute Draws Attention
The controversy centers on evidence recovered from Guthrie’s Tucson residence, where investigators believe she was forcibly taken in the early morning hours of February 1. Blood drops matching her DNA were discovered near the front entrance, raising immediate red flags.
Electronic data adds to the troubling timeline. Surveillance records show her doorbell camera disconnecting at 1:47 a.m., followed by motion detection shortly afterward. Around 2:28 a.m., her pacemaker monitoring app lost connection. Significantly, her cellphone, Apple Watch, and critical life-sustaining medication were left behind—an unusual and concerning detail given her age and health.
According to a federal law enforcement source cited by Fox News Digital, the FBI requested access to specific items—namely a glove and certain DNA evidence—to be processed at the bureau’s national crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
Federal Bureau of Investigation officials reportedly sought to bring the materials to their renowned forensic facility in Quantico to conduct independent analysis.
However, Nanos pushed back on claims that he resisted federal cooperation. Instead, he argued that consolidating evidence in one location would better preserve the integrity of the investigation.
“Actually, the FBI just wanted to send the one or two they found by the crime scene, closest to it – mile, mile and a half . . . I said ‘No, why do that? Let’s just send them all to where all the DNA exists, all the profiles and the markers exist.’ They agreed, makes sense,” Nanos told KVOA.
The sheriff explained that a private forensic laboratory in Florida—long utilized by his department—is already processing DNA profiles collected at the scene. He added that discussions were ongoing Thursday morning about potentially sending gloves to the FBI lab as well.
Rising Questions and Federal Involvement
As public concern grows, so too does scrutiny of the sheriff’s office. Critics have questioned why the department’s thermal-imaging-equipped Cessna aircraft was not deployed until hours after Guthrie was reported missing. Others have raised concerns about repeated entries and exits from the residence, questioning whether the chain of custody could be challenged in a future prosecution.
Meanwhile, federal authorities have taken a visibly expanded role.
The FBI successfully recovered previously inaccessible doorbell footage from backend systems and released images of a masked individual appearing to tamper with the home’s front camera. The bureau is now offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery.
SWAT Operation Shocks Quiet Neighborhood
Late Friday into early Saturday morning, a significant law enforcement operation unfolded in the Catalina Foothills area, underscoring the seriousness of the investigation.
Dozens of vehicles descended upon the Shadow Hills neighborhood, according to News 4 Tucson. Roads were temporarily blocked, including access to North Camino De Michael from East Placita De Graciela and East Placita De Michael. A sheriff’s deputy continued restricting nonresident traffic past 1 a.m. Saturday.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that the SWAT activity was connected to the disappearance.
Residents described shock and disbelief at the overwhelming law enforcement presence.
“Mindblowing, I like cannot believe it,” one woman who lives on Camino De Michael told News 4 Tucson. “We’re trying to figure out what house it could possibly be at. I mean, we walk these streets all the time, pretty familiar with the homes.”
The woman, who requested anonymity, said she and her child were allowed back into the neighborhood after 9 p.m., following a roughly 90-minute wait.
Two additional residents noted increased law enforcement activity in recent days. One reported seeing two pairs of FBI officials canvassing the street on foot Thursday. Another described the typically quiet neighborhood as rarely seeing such a presence and characterized Friday night’s developments as unsettling.
“Disturbing to think it’s so close to my house,” the neighbor told News 4 Tucson.
A Community Awaits Answers
As coordination continues between local and federal authorities, questions remain about the timeline, the handling of forensic evidence, and the next steps in a case that has gripped southern Arizona.
For now, Sheriff Nanos maintains that cooperation—not conflict—defines his department’s relationship with federal partners. The stakes could not be higher: an elderly woman remains missing, a community remains on edge, and Americans are once again reminded of the importance of transparency, accountability, and law-and-order leadership in moments of crisis.