Full Breakdown
Pima County Board Moves Toward Possible Removal of Sheriff Chris Nanos
5/10/2026, 3:50:50 AM
Background & Context
Sheriff Chris Nanos has led the Pima County Sheriff’s Department since the 1980s after serving with the El Paso Police Department, where records show several suspensions for alleged “unnecessary violence” and tardiness. In February 2024, 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home, sparking a high-profile investigation now over 100 days old with a $1.2 million reward.
Timeline of Key Events
Nancy Guthrie disappeared on Feb 1, 2024. In early February, Nanos denied any El Paso suspension while testifying in an unrelated lawsuit. On May 9, 2026, the Pima County Board of Supervisors set a motion for its May 12 meeting to consider disciplinary action. FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau was excluded for four days. The board will vote on May 12.
Official Statements & Responses
Supervisor Matt Heinz said the board is examining Nanos’s 22-page unsworn response for compliance with ARS 11-253A and possible perjury. Sheriff Nanos asserted that coordination with the FBI began promptly and that the department’s lab works closely with the FBI’s Quantico lab. FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau was excluded for four days and that its DNA-testing capacity could have sped evidence analysis.
Criticism & Opposition
Heinz argued Nanos “has definitely lost the confidence of the community” and that his conduct warrants removal. Patel criticized the delay, saying the FBI was excluded for four days. Retired lieutenant Dave Smith noted the suspect’s “Mexican-carry” firearm, the case’s proximity to the Mexican border, and that “the evidence is transitory” in desert terrain.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Nanos says an FBI task-force member was on the scene the night Guthrie was reported missing; Patel disputes this. The board alleges perjury over prior suspensions, while Nanos’s attorney says the deposition question was misunderstood. DNA was first sent to a private Florida lab; the FBI later received it, noting its own lab could have processed it “within days.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “A unanimous vote of the disciplinary board at that time for a whole host of problems said, 'Hey, he can't be a cop anymore. He's just bad at this and he's not upholding our standards … he's got to go,'” — Matt Heinz, Pima County Supervisor.
- “For four days, we were kept out of the investigation,” — Kash Patel, FBI Director.
- “My personal theory is, if Mexico was suspected, that would make it a federal investigation,” — Dave Smith, retired Arizona Department of Public Safety lieutenant.
What’s Next
On May 12, the board will decide whether to recommend Nanos’s removal, adopt a strong resolution urging his resignation, or refer the matter to the Pima County Attorney for possible criminal charges. The outcome will affect local law-enforcement oversight and the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie.
