Sheriff Chris Nanos
Pima County Sheriff's Department

The Nancy Guthrie case might be doomed by Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos' 'ego tripping', according to his critics.

Critics called out Pima County Sheriff Nanos' handling of Nancy Guthrie's abduction case, which grows more urgent now that she's been missing for 19 days. Per the New York Post, law enforcement sources say the FBI is desperate to take over the investigation, if only the Guthrie family would permit.

The criticism revolves around Nanos making a "spectacle" out of the press briefings, allegedly conducted for optics.

'The sheriff turned a serious investigation into a rolling spectacle, from questionable decisions to shifting narratives and a disastrous media cleanup tour that raised more questions than it answered,' an anonymous source told the outlet.

Critics Blast Sheriff's Media Circus

Sgt. Aaron Cross, Pima County Deputies Organisation President, is outspoken about Nanos' failings. Cross, who previously sued Nanos twice in U.S. District Court, questioned the Nanos' wasteful press engagements.

'If you're going to spend all day talking to media, instead you can do a one-hour press conference with someone capable of speaking clearly and professionally,' Cross asserted. An anonymous source said Nanos is more interested in "damage control" than discussing the actual merits of the case.

Retired Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association, specified Nanos' lapses. 'As a law enforcement organisation, you have to communicate with the media,' she said. 'You can't just stop talking to them or piecemeal out information.'

Nanos addressed the backlash in an interview with Fox 10 Phoenix, saying, 'Right now, our focus is on this investigation and serving the victims and this community. Internal or political commentary distracts from this active investigation, and it is very unfortunate. My focus remains on justice and transparency.'

In a 13 February press statement, President Donald Trump said the Pima County Sheriff's Department "didn't want to let go" of the case. 'It's up to them. It's really up to the communities,' he added. 'But ultimately, when the FBI got involved, I think, you know, progress has been made.'

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Pima County has access to federal government's "full resources." Nanos disagrees, asserting that his department was bypassed by a Florida lab that's been receiving evidence since the investigation started.

FBI Takeover Stalled by Old Feuds

Nanos' seeming resistance to FBI oversight stems from a feud dating as early as 2015, when he was appointed chief of Pima County Sheriff's Department.

The FBI investigated the department that same year for misuse of civil asset forfeiture funds. Nanos was not charged, but the controversy cost him his 2016 election bid for sheriff.

In a 2016 interview with KGUN9, Nanos called out the FBI while addressing the overspending allegations. Cross said Nanos was evidently antagonistic in the video clip.

'You can just see him seething with rage against the FBI,' Cross noted. 'That's the real Sheriff Nanos — the angry, vindictive guy. That's who we experience inside the department. The 'aw shucks' kind of persona that he portrays is kind of the character that he puts on.' Nanos was elected sheriff in 2020.

Clock Ticks on Guthrie Case Amid Finger-Pointing

The ongoing investigation has yet to make a breakthrough, despite the key evidence so far discovered. Per the BBC, law enforcement is now using a helicopter-mounted "signal sniffer" to search for Bluetooth signals Nancy Guthrie's pacemaker might emit.

As deadlines loom and public scrutiny intensifies, the Guthrie case has devolved into a swirl of accusations, denials, and political maneuvering. Key players continue to deflect responsibility, each pointing to procedural missteps or conflicting accounts to shield themselves from blame.

Meanwhile, investigators face mounting pressure to cut through the noise and deliver clarity, even as new details threaten to complicate an already tangled timeline.

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