Questions about the past conduct of the sheriff overseeing the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance have resurfaced after records revealed disciplinary issues from the early days of his law enforcement career.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who has led the Arizona department since 2021, resigned from his first policing job with the El Paso Police Department in 1982 after a series of disciplinary infractions, according to reporting by the Arizona Republic. The resignation came after officials reportedly told him he could either step down voluntarily or face termination.
Records cited by the outlet describe multiple violations during Nanos’ time in El Paso, including allegations of excessive force, off-duty gambling, improper use of his police siren, and repeated tardiness. One particularly serious allegation involved claims that Nanos kicked a suspect in the head during an arrest, an incident that reportedly resulted in the suspect being hospitalized.
As a result of several incidents, Nanos received 37 days of unpaid leave before ultimately leaving the department in the early 1980s.
The controversy resurfaced after journalists discovered discrepancies in a résumé Nanos had posted publicly online. The document reportedly listed his tenure with the El Paso Police Department as lasting until 1984—two years longer than records indicate he actually served there.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged the incorrect dates, describing them as “clerical errors” that have since been corrected. Nanos himself dismissed the criticism when questioned by reporters, characterizing the inquiry as a politically motivated attempt to damage his reputation.
The renewed scrutiny comes as Nanos faces criticism over his department’s handling of the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie. Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home on February 1, and the case has drawn national attention.
Five weeks into the investigation, authorities have yet to identify a suspect. Several individuals described as persons of interest were interviewed and cleared, including a delivery driver who investigators determined had no connection to the missing woman.
Critics have also questioned aspects of the early response to the case, including reports that the scene of the disappearance was not fully secured and that journalists and other individuals were able to approach the home shortly after the incident.
Despite the current controversy, Nanos’ law enforcement career has also included high-profile accomplishments. He played a leading role in the investigation into the 2011 shooting of U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords in Tucson, a mass shooting that killed six people and injured thirteen.
Nanos joined the Pima County Sheriff’s Department as a corrections officer in 1984 after leaving El Paso and rose through the ranks over decades before eventually becoming sheriff. He has since won two countywide elections.
In a statement responding to the recent reporting, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department defended his leadership, emphasizing his more than forty years of public service and describing his career as marked by professionalism and dedication to community safety.
