Sheriff leading Nancy Guthrie probe admits quitting past police job to dodge discipline

The lawyer for Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is helming the months-long hunt for missing Nancy Guthrie, has responded to a database of concerns from section leaders astir the apical cop's leadership.

Nanos acknowledged done his lawyer that helium resigned from the El Paso Police Department successful 1982 to debar a three-day suspension for insubordination, portion defending evident inconsistencies successful his sworn deposition grounds astir his disciplinary history.

On April 7, the Pima County Board of Supervisors demanded the sheriff reply questions aft allegations of perjury emerged pursuing his deposition successful a First Amendment suit brought against him by the president of the Pima County Deputies Association, Sgt. Aaron Cross.

Nanos stated nether oath that helium had ne'er been suspended arsenic a effect of disciplinary enactment portion moving arsenic a instrumentality enforcement officer.

POSSIBLE TATTOO SEEN IN NANCY GUTHRIE VIDEO MAY HELP ID SUBJECT, FORMER PROFILER SAYS

A divided representation shows Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaking to reporters astir the suspected abduction of Nancy Guthrie, alongside an representation of Guthrie seated during a crippled of mahjong. (Rebecca Noble/Reuters, Courtesy of NBC)

According to an April 21 missive from his lawyer, James Cool, helium misunderstood the question.

Nanos has ne'er been suspended from the Pima County Sheriff's Department successful a vocation that began successful 1984. Cool acknowledged that helium was suspended repeatedly successful his anterior relation astatine the El Paso Police Department successful Texas, a occupation helium resigned from successful 1982 to debar further disciplinary action.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

"It is 100% close that Sheriff Nanos was ne'er suspended during his 4 decades of decorated and faithful work with the Pima County Sheriff's Department ('PCSD')," Cool wrote successful a 12-page missive to the board. "However, Sheriff Nanos was suspended much than forty years agone portion employed by El Paso Police Department. In the discourse of his unrecorded deposition, Sheriff Nanos did not recognize the question related to subject with a antithetic bureau not governed by the Arizona Peace Officer's Bill of Rights."

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos updates the media connected the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, parent of "Today" big Savannah Guthrie, successful Tucson, Ariz., connected Feb. 5, 2026. (Sejal Govindarao/AP Photo)

Nanos' lawyers accused Cross and erstwhile PCSD Lt. Heather Lappin, Nanos' astir caller predetermination challenger, of "sustained findings of misconduct."

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

"Chock afloat of lies," Cross said of Cool's letter. "But did you announcement it wasn't a sworn statement, arsenic required?"

The committee voted connected April 7 to person Nanos reply questions "under oath."

SEND US A TIP HERE

County committee members person questioned whether Nanos utilized his presumption to interfere with the predetermination and wrongfully targeted Lappin for probe during the campaign.

Law enforcement and quality broadcasters are stationed extracurricular Nancy Guthrie's residence successful Tucson, Ariz., connected Feb. 10, 2026, arsenic searches proceed for the 84-year-old parent of writer Savannah Guthrie. Possible abductors acceptable a ransom deadline of 5 p.m. connected Feb. 9 for a $6 cardinal outgo aft she went missing connected Feb. 1. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Attached to the letter, Cool included a transcript of a March 11 enactment from the Justice Department informing County Administrator Jan Lesher that the erstwhile U.S. Attorney for Arizona nether the Biden medication recovered "no national predicate" for a transgression probe into the predetermination allegations.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

"We person nary further effect to supply beyond what was already communicated successful December 2024," existent U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Timothy Courchaine wrote.

Cool defended Nanos' handling of the sheriff's section budget, argued that the sheriff should not person to reply each of the board's questions successful a nationalist setting, and downplayed concerns of retaliation against Cross and Lappin. Both of them person pending lawsuits.

A subordinate of the Pima County Sheriff's Department stands successful beforehand of the location of Nancy Guthrie, the missing parent of "Today" amusement big Savannah Guthrie, successful Tucson, Ariz., connected Feb. 10, 2026. (Ty ONeil/AP)

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

Cool besides included a transcript of Nanos' 1984 resume, successful which lists his hobbies arsenic "boxing, fishing, pool, crosswords and carnal exercise."

After leaving the El Paso Police Department, Nanos worked concisely successful income and past arsenic a information defender earlier joining the PCSD successful 1984 arsenic a corrections officer.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Savannah Guthrie visits the Today amusement astatine Rockefeller Plaza successful New York connected Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Guthrie is believed to person been abducted from her location successful the Catalina Foothills, northbound of Tucson, Arizona, successful the aboriginal hours of Feb. 1. A masked intruder appears connected doorbell camera video. Her backmost doorway was recovered propped unfastened the pursuing morning. Her whereabouts stay unknown.

She is the parent of "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie, who has enactment $1 cardinal toward the combined reward for uncovering her.