Arizona'sNancy Guthriekidnapping case took another turn on Wednesday in Tucson, after the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted to keepSheriff Chris Nanosin office while referring perjury allegations against him to the state attorney general.
The decision adds fresh turmoil to an investigation that has now stretched beyond 100 days without a public breakthrough.Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reportedly abductedfrom her home by a masked intruder in a case that drew national attention because she is the mother of Today anchor Savannah Guthrie. Despite heavy coverage and growing public concern, investigators have not named a suspect or announced any major development.
The board stopped short of removing Nanos from office, but unanimously agreed to send a packet of alleged false statements to Arizona's attorney general for review. According toNewsNation, the referral centres on claims that the sheriff made misleading statements under oath.
SupervisorDr Matt Heinzsaid the board had reached the limit of its legal powers. 'We have limited powers,' he said, arguing that any decision on possible criminal charges now rests with the state.
The allegations are unusually specific. In one example cited in reports, Nanos is accused of falsely claiming in a deposition that he had never been suspended during his law enforcement career. Records from his time at the El Paso Police Department reportedly suggest otherwise, with multiple suspensions noted in his personnel history.
🗞️From the El Paso Police Department's records keeper:This is how Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos' six-year career with the department ended in 1982 — and a major part of why the county board of supervisors referred him to the Arizona Attorney General's Office last night for…pic.twitter.com/aNgtYpptBk
Board members have suggested the issue did not end there. They say Nanos gave further misleading answers when questioned later about that history and about the accuracy of his earlier testimony.
No charges have been filed, and none of the claims has been tested in court. For now, the allegations remain just that, pending any decision by the attorney general on whether to investigate further.
The political pressure on Nanos had already been building before this week's meeting. Earlier this month,NewsNationreported thatFBI Director Kash Patel blamed the sheriff for hindering the early stagesof the Nancy Guthrie investigation by keeping federal agents 'out of the loop' as critical leads emerged.
That criticism suggested a deeper problem than simple delay. It raised the prospect that friction between agencies may have damaged the search during its most important early phase, feeding fears that institutional rivalry may have slowed momentum in the case.
Source: International Business Times UK
