Sheriff in Guthrie Case Ordered to Appear at Hearing

Sheriff Chris Nanos is about to face a public grilling in Pima County, and the questions won't be limited to the still-unsolved disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. The county's Board of Supervisors has unanimously agreed to compel the Arizona sheriff to appear at a hearing, with outside legal counsel assisting as they probe his past discipline record, alleged perjury, and management of his department, Fox News reports. The move comes as investigators enter a third month searching for Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, who is believed to have been abducted from her home on Feb. 1.

While Nanos hasn't been accused of wrongdoing in the Guthrie case, records released with the board's agenda show he was repeatedly suspended as an El Paso police officer in the early 1980s and resigned in lieu of being fired—details critics say conflict with his sworn testimony in a recent deposition that he had never been suspended. The county deputies' union also accuses him of omitting that history on his application. "He did not disclose that he resigned in lieu of termination," the Pima County Deputy's Organization wrote in a Facebook post. "Lying on your application would prohibit anyone from being hired."

• According to records reviewed by the Arizona Republic, Nanos joined the police force in El Paso, his hometown, in 1976 and resigned in 1982, two years earlier than a resume posted on the sheriff's department website states.
• Nanos was named Officer of the Year in western Texas after he saved his partner's life in 1979, but disciplinary issues including allegations of excessive force caught up with him in later years, the Republic reports. He was suspended or put on leave for a total of 37 days during his years with the El Paso force, including a 15-day suspension in early 1982 after he allegedly injured a suspect during an arrest. The robbery suspect ended up in intensive care, but a grand jury declined to indict Nanos on assault charges. He was also disciplined for violations including failure to report for duty, tardiness, and off-duty gambling.

The latest clash follows earlier board allegations that Nanos used his office to target political rivals during the 2024 sheriff's race, prompting supervisors to seek outside investigations from state and federal authorities, Fox reports. Timing for his hearing has not yet been set.