The mystery surrounding missing Arizona mom Nancy Guthrie has taken another dramatic turn more than 100 days after she vanished from her Tucson home.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is facing fresh criticism after admitting he is no longer personally in contact with Guthrie’s family, even as the high-profile search continues with no arrests, no named suspects, and few public answers.
Guthrie, 84, was reported missing on February 1 after authorities said they believed she had been taken against her will from her home. Her disappearance quickly drew national attention, especially because she is the mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie.
Now, as the case stretches past the 100-day mark, Nanos says communication with the family is being handled by detectives and the FBI.
Asked whether he has been in touch with the Guthries himself, the sheriff said plainly: “I personally am not.”
He insisted that does not mean the family has been left in the dark.
“If they need the family for anything, they get in touch with them and the family,” Nanos told People, referring to his detectives and federal investigators. “It works both ways.”
The admission marks a noticeable shift from comments Nanos made shortly after Nancy disappeared. Back in February, he said he had been communicating with Savannah Guthrie through occasional texts and phone calls.
“We text or, every now and then, a phone call,” he said at the time. “But no, I’ve not even sat down with her face-to-face. She’s got a lot on her plate.”
Nanos added that the FBI and his detectives had been speaking with Savannah directly.
“She doesn’t need to talk to me,” he said.
Nancy’s disappearance has haunted the Tucson community for months.
Federal investigators previously released surveillance footage showing a masked man apparently tampering with her doorbell camera overnight. Authorities have said no suspects have been publicly identified.
That has only fueled frustration from the public, especially as weeks have turned into months with no major breakthrough announced.
Nanos has insisted the case is not cold. In fact, he recently claimed investigators are holding back important information that could be crucial to solving the case.
There is “absolutely” information about Nancy’s disappearance that has not been released to the public, he told KOLD.
“It’s not done because we got to keep it secret,” Nanos said. “It’s done because we got to protect our case.”
The sheriff said he still believes investigators will eventually find the person responsible.
“I believe at some point in time, we will make an arrest in this case,” he said. “And whoever that individual is, that individual will have a right to a fair and impartial trial.”
Still, the lack of public updates has left many people wondering what is really going on behind the scenes.
Nanos said he understands why people are upset and anxious for answers, but he stressed that complicated criminal investigations can take time.
“This is just like any other case,” he said. “Sometimes it takes a long time.”
He also pushed back against criticism of the detectives working the case, saying the sheriff himself is not the one doing the day-to-day investigative work.
“The sheriff doesn’t do the investigation, his team does,” Nanos said. “There are several people dedicated to this team, and they are the talent.”
He then defended the investigators on the case, saying they are working hard despite intense public pressure.
“Criticizing those who are actually out there touching it, smelling it, handling it, doing that work — that’s just absolutely shameful,” he said. “Those young men and women are working hard every day.”
But for many following the case, the sheriff’s latest comments are unlikely to quiet the controversy.
More than 100 days after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, her family is still waiting for answers, the public is still watching closely, and investigators are still chasing the masked figure seen near her home before she vanished.
That sheriff is a freakin clown. People of that county should throw his ass out!
Wait until it’s over, then decide!