Arizona Sheriff Defends Handling of Evidence in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos rejects claims he is blocking FBI access to key evidence

Feb. 13, 2026 at 7:47am

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Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has fired back at claims that he is withholding essential physical evidence from the FBI in the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. Nanos insists he has been cooperating with federal investigators and says the evidence is being sent to a private DNA lab in Florida rather than the FBI's national crime lab in order to have all the DNA profiles and markers in one place.

Why it matters

The high-profile disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of 'Today' show co-host Savannah Guthrie, has drawn national attention. There are concerns about the handling of evidence and the coordination between local and federal law enforcement, which could impact the investigation and the public's trust.

The details

Sheriff Nanos says he told the FBI they could send just the one or two pieces of evidence found closest to the crime scene, but he insisted on sending all the evidence to the private lab in Florida where the DNA profiles and markers already exist. Nanos also downplayed the significance of gloves found by FBI investigators, saying there were 'quite a number of them' found on the side of the road near Guthrie's home and that they may not be as important as previously believed.

  • Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Tucson, Arizona home on January 31, 2026 when she was dropped off by her son-in-law.
  • On February 5, 2026, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos held a press conference about the investigation.
  • On February 7, 2026, Nanos attended a University of Arizona men's basketball game in the middle of the search for Guthrie.

The players

Chris Nanos

The second-term Democratic sheriff of Pima County, Arizona who is leading the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.

Nancy Guthrie

An 84-year-old woman who went missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona on January 31, 2026. She is the mother of 'Today' show co-host Savannah Guthrie.

Savannah Guthrie

The co-host of the 'Today' show whose mother, Nancy Guthrie, went missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona on January 31, 2026.

Tommaso Cioni

Nancy Guthrie's son-in-law, who dropped her off at her Tucson home on the night she went missing.

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What they’re saying

“Not even close to the truth,”

— Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (KVOA)

“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 exist, all the profiles and the markers exist.' They agreed, makes sense.”

— Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (KVOA)

“We don't even know the true value of these gloves,”

— Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (KVOA)

“When this is all done with, offer your critiques all you want, but right now we have work to do,”

— Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (KVOA)

“we do not want the media to divide us,”

— FBI Official (KOLD)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges of coordinating between local and federal law enforcement, as well as the intense public scrutiny and media attention surrounding high-profile missing persons cases. It underscores the need for transparency and clear communication to maintain public trust in the investigation.