Sheriff Chris Nanos Accused of Blocking the FBI From Key Evidence in Nancy Guthrie Case — Details

A high-profile disappearance case has taken a dramatic turn. A federal law enforcement source now alleges that a local sheriff blocked the FBI from accessing key evidence. The accusation adds another layer of tension to an already high-profile case.

A bitter turf war is threatening to derail the frantic search for missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. Insiders say the fallout could be costing precious time.

At the center of the storm is Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos. He is now being accused of blocking the FBI from accessing crucial evidence in the desperate hunt for the beloved mother of "TODAY" show co-host Savannah Guthrie.

A federal law enforcement source told Reuters that Chris is preventing the FBI from obtaining key physical evidence collected from Nancy's home. This includes a glove and DNA samples. As a result, the evidence cannot be tested at the bureau's elite national crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.

Instead, the sheriff has insisted that a private forensic lab in Florida process the materials. The source warned that the decision could slow what is already an urgent investigation.

The person also criticized the sheriff's office for not seeking FBI assistance sooner. The officer argued that tapping into federal technology and resources would provide the fastest path to answers in a case where every second counts.

Evidence Battle Threatens To Slow Urgent Search

Outsourcing the forensic analysis to a Florida contractor has effectively denied the FBI direct access to the critical evidence, the official said, limiting its ability to fully assist in the high-stakes case.

In an earlier press update, the sheriff's office revealed investigators had recovered "several items of evidence, including gloves," adding that all viable materials had been submitted for analysis.

The Sheriff's Office holds primary jurisdiction over the case, and under federal law, the FBI can only formally participate if invited by the county. According to the source, the county has already spent about $200,000 to send evidence to the Florida lab.

The reported friction comes as the search entered its 12th day. Investigators are still pursuing leads in what authorities have described as a presumed kidnapping for ransom.

Sheriff's Public Appearance Sparks Outrage

As the investigation intensifies, Sheriff Chris has also come under scrutiny for his public appearances. Nearly a week after Nancy vanished, Chris was photographed sitting near the front row at a college basketball game between the University of Arizona and Oklahoma State.

The images surfaced at the very moment Savannah and her siblings shared an emotional Instagram video pleading for their mother's safe return. A source who provided the photos, speaking on condition of anonymity, criticized the sheriff's decision to attend the game while the investigation remained ongoing.

The source said it was not a good look given the national attention on the case. The person described the optics as troubling, noting that Chris is a central figure in the investigation.

Previous reports claimed an internal dispute between Chris and the pilot of the department's high-tech search aircraft delayed a critical part of the operation. A law enforcement source familiar with the situation said the pilot was demoted to street patrol after the disagreement.

As a result, it caused a three-hour delay in deploying the aircraft at the start of the search. In cases involving a vulnerable adult, the source stressed, a three-hour delay can be critical.

Aircraft Grounded As Critical Hours Slipped Away

The Pima County Deputies Organization disagreed with the decision to transfer the pilot, describing him as high-performing. A union official told Fox News Digital that the pilot appealed to the sheriff but was reassigned anyway.

The official added that the department's most experienced Search and Rescue deputy had also been transferred months earlier without replacement. This left the unit short-staffed during one of the highest-profile searches in the department's history.

As scrutiny mounted, Chris acknowledged missteps in the early stages of the investigation. In an interview with the Arizona Republic, he admitted his department released Nancy's home as a crime scene too soon. Investigators later returned to gather more evidence.

He conceded the scene should have remained secured longer and said other agencies could have been brought in earlier. Multiple sources close to the department also told the Daily Mail that a series of missteps slowed the initial response.

According to those sources, a key search-and-rescue aircraft was not deployed during the critical early hours after Nancy was reported missing. This aircraft is the fixed-wing Cessna known as Survey 1. The plane carries advanced thermal imaging technology capable of scanning large areas of terrain. According to reports, it did not take off until hours after the report was made, remaining on the ground during the early stages of the search.

Sergeant Aaron Cross, who leads the Pima County Sheriff’s Deputies Association, said the aircraft is considered one of the department’s most critical tools in the region. He and county GOP chair Kathleen Winn told reporters that a lack of available personnel meant there was no qualified crew ready to operate the plane in the initial hours of the search.

They said trained pilots had recently been transferred out of the Air Operations Unit. One veteran pilot was reassigned the week before Nancy disappeared. Another was moved in November 2025, and the positions were not filled.

As a result, Survey 1 did not take off until about 5 p.m. Sunday. Winn said the delay cost critical time, arguing that if the plane had been airborne earlier, it might have located Nancy quickly if she had been in the desert. A helicopter was deployed instead, but lacked the same thermal imaging capabilities.

The controversy has only deepened as the case draws national attention. On Thursday, the FBI announced it had doubled the reward for information leading to Nancy's location or the arrest and conviction of a suspect to $100,000.

Online reaction has swelled as well. "Something's strange about this case," one person wrote. Others voiced fears that leadership decisions may have altered the timeline. "This is terrible if this Sheriff's ego is costing precious time in finding her!" one comment read. Another lamented, "No matter what, this is so sad."

Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31 when her family dropped her off at her home following an evening dinner with them. Relatives reported her missing the following day, authorities said.