Pima County Board Rejects Ouster Bid, Refers Sheriff Nanos Perjury Allegations To Arizona AG
On Tuesday, May 12, 2026, the Pima County Board of Supervisors rejected a motion to declare Sheriff Chris Nanos' office vacant and instead referred perjury allegations against him to the Arizona attorney general.[1]
A motion by Supervisor Steve Christy to vacate the office failed after no other supervisor seconded it.[1] Supervisor Rex Scott then moved to send the perjury allegations to the state attorney general, and the board approved the referral 4-0 with Christy abstaining.[1] Those allegations trace to a deposition in which Nanos denied ever being suspended, while El Paso police records obtained by CBS News show multiple suspensions and a resignation-recommendation that supervisors say contradict his testimony.[2]
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her Tucson home on February 1, 2026, prompting a search that quickly became a criminal investigation.[2] Pima detectives initially sent DNA recovered from Guthrie's house to a private Florida lab before forwarding samples weeks later to the FBI laboratory in Quantico, where investigators are now awaiting key results.[3] FBI Director Kash Patel said in early May the bureau was kept out of the probe for four days.[4] The sheriff's office disputes that and says an FBI task force member was on scene the first night Guthrie was reported missing.[4] The FBI said it recovered Ring doorbell footage from residual backend data after Patel personally contacted Google leadership.[3]
Early coverage of the supervisors' effort emphasized political friction and calls for removal, focusing on critics' demands and public pressure.[5] Later reporting, however, including CBS News' review of El Paso police records, produced documentary evidence of multiple suspensions that reframed the dispute as a potential perjury case.[2]
Nanos' attorney says the sheriff misunderstood a deposition question about discipline at a different agency and notified counsel after reviewing the transcript.[2] Supervisors Matt Heinz and Steve Christy had warned they would seek to vacate the office under an 1873 Arizona law if Nanos did not resign by the 100-day mark of Guthrie's disappearance.[5]
The mainstream summary presents the Pima County Board's decision primarily as a straightforward rejection of a motion to vacate Sheriff Nanos' office, but it does not fully capture the underlying tensions and complexities surrounding the allegations against him. While the board's referral of perjury allegations to the Arizona attorney general is noted, the summary downplays the significant public and political pressure that led to this decision, including the bipartisan push from Supervisors Matt Heinz and Steve Christy, who have framed Nanos' alleged evasion of accountability as a serious public safety threat. This context is crucial, as social media commentary highlights ongoing frustrations regarding Nanos' credibility and the implications for the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, which remains unresolved as of early May 2026. @DavidB92801 points out that there are currently no suspects or remains found in the case, intensifying the scrutiny on Nanos amid calls for his resignation.
Additionally, the mainstream coverage does not address the criticisms leveled at the handling of the investigation, particularly regarding the initial exclusion of the FBI from the case. FBI Director Kash Patel has publicly criticized local officials, suggesting that Nanos deliberately kept federal agents out of the investigation during critical early days. This aspect of the narrative, which is echoed by various social media commentators, signals a deeper conflict over jurisdiction and accountability that the mainstream summary overlooks. The implications of these dynamics extend beyond Nanos' office and raise questions about the effectiveness and collaboration of law enforcement agencies in high-stakes investigations like that of Nancy Guthrie. @imadriienne notes the debate surrounding these issues, emphasizing the need for transparency and cooperation in such serious matters.
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📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, May 12, 2026, the Pima County Board of Supervisors rejected a motion by Supervisor Steve Christy to declare Sheriff Chris Nanos' office vacant when no other supervisor seconded the motion, and separately approved a referral of perjury allegations against Nanos to the Arizona attorney general by a 4–0 vote with Christy abstaining.
- CBS News obtained El Paso Police Department records showing Nanos was suspended multiple times in the 1970s–1980s for alleged infractions (including “unnecessary violence” and tardiness) and that a disciplinary board recommended he could no longer serve — allegations supervisors say contradict his deposition testimony denying suspensions.
- Supervisors Matt Heinz and Steve Christy said they would move to have the sheriff's office vacated if Nanos did not resign by Tuesday, May 12, 2026 (100 days since Nancy Guthrie was reported missing), alleging he missed a deadline to respond under oath and planning to rely on an 1873 Arizona law to declare the office vacant; Heinz also said supervisors could still refer alleged perjury to the state attorney general even without a board majority.
- Nanos' attorney said the sheriff misunderstood a deposition question about discipline at a different agency, reviewed the transcript after the fact and notified his lawyer of the misunderstanding shortly after the deposition.
- In a May 5 podcast, FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI was kept out of the Guthrie investigation for four days; the sheriff's office disputed that, saying an FBI task force member was on scene the first night Guthrie was reported missing and that Nanos held a joint press conference with the FBI two days later.
- Investigators are awaiting results from a key DNA sample being analyzed at the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia; Pima detectives initially sent DNA recovered from Guthrie's Tucson home to a private Florida lab that was forwarded weeks later to the FBI, and earlier DNA recovered from gloves was traced to a restaurant worker and ruled unrelated.
- The FBI said Ring doorbell footage showing a masked suspect at Guthrie's front door on the night she vanished was recovered from residual backend data after FBI Director Kash Patel personally contacted Google leadership.
- Pima County Assessor Suzanne Droubie told the Arizona Republic that Nanos scolded her after her office provided property-record data to the FBI, saying the information created “a lot of additional work,” and a Pima County Sheriff's Department spokesperson said they were “not authorized” to comment on Droubie's claims.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"The opinion piece by Kash Patel defends and promotes his tenure modernizing the FBI—arguing he moved the agency into the 'AI age,' that AI and data tools have measurably improved investigations, and that political critics are mischaracterizing or resisting necessary reform (a commentary tied to recent controversies involving the FBI such as the Pima County/Nancy Guthrie dispute)."
📰 Source Timeline (8)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Tuesday, May 12, 2026, the Pima County Board of Supervisors rejected a motion by Supervisor Steve Christy to declare Sheriff Chris Nanos' office vacant when no other supervisor seconded the motion.
- At the same May 12 meeting, Supervisor Rex Scott moved to refer perjury allegations against Sheriff Nanos to the Arizona attorney general; the board approved the referral by a 4-0 vote, with Christy abstaining.
- The article specifies that the perjury allegations stem from a prior deposition in which Nanos testified he had never been suspended as a law enforcement officer, while El Paso police records show multiple suspensions and a resignation in lieu of termination in the 1970s–1980s.
- Pima County Assessor Suzanne Droubie told the Arizona Republic that Sheriff Chris Nanos scolded her after her office sent a tip about the Nancy Guthrie case to the FBI.
- Droubie said her tech staff provided property-record data to the FBI at its request and that Nanos complained the information created 'a lot of additional work' for his department.
- She recounted a tense conversation in which Nanos allegedly said her office was 'being more harm than good' by generating leads that the sheriff's office was then obliged to follow up.
- A Pima County Sheriff's Department spokesperson said they were 'not authorized' to provide any information or comment regarding Droubie's claims.
- The article reiterates that early tension between the FBI and Nanos included the sheriff initially sending key DNA evidence to a Florida lab instead of the FBI lab in Quantico, with the sample only reaching the FBI about 11 weeks later.
- It notes that the Pima County Board of Supervisors is expected to address separate perjury allegations against Nanos at its meeting on the night of May 12, 2026.
- As of roughly May 11-12, 2026, investigators are awaiting results from a key DNA sample related to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance that is being analyzed at the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
- Pima County sheriff's detectives initially sent DNA recovered from Nancy Guthrie's Tucson home to a private laboratory in Florida before it was forwarded weeks later to the FBI lab for further work.
- Earlier in the investigation, DNA recovered from gloves found about 2 miles from Guthrie's house was traced to a local restaurant worker and ruled unrelated to the case.
- A Pima County Sheriff's Department spokesperson said in a Monday statement that, at the 100-day mark since Guthrie was reported missing on February 1, 2026, scientific evidence processing and digital media analysis remain ongoing and investigators are actively pursuing leads and tips.
- Sheriff Chris Nanos declined to specify the type or location of the DNA sample, citing the need to preserve the integrity of evidence for a potential future trial.
- The FBI stated that Ring doorbell footage showing a masked suspect at Guthrie's front door on the night she vanished was recovered from residual data in backend systems after FBI Director Kash Patel personally contacted Google leadership.
- As of Friday, May 8, 2026, at least two Pima County supervisors say they will file a motion to have the sheriff's office declared vacant if Sheriff Chris Nanos does not resign by Tuesday, May 12, 2026, which marks 100 days since Nancy Guthrie disappeared.
- Supervisors allege Nanos lied under oath in a deposition for an unrelated lawsuit when he denied ever being suspended during his prior service with the El Paso Police Department.
- CBS News obtained El Paso Police Department records showing Nanos was suspended multiple times for alleged infractions including "unnecessary violence" and tardiness, and that a disciplinary board unanimously recommended he could no longer serve as an officer there.
- Nanos' attorney sent a letter stating that Nanos misunderstood the deposition question about discipline at a different agency and that, after reviewing the transcript, he notified his attorney of the misunderstanding shortly after the deposition.
- FBI Director Kash Patel, in a May 5, 2026 podcast interview, claimed the FBI was kept out of the Nancy Guthrie investigation for four days, while Nanos publicly countered that an FBI task force member was on scene the first night Guthrie was reported missing and held a joint press conference with the FBI two days later.
- Supervisor Matt Heinz is quoted saying Nanos has "lost the confidence of the community" and that the effort to remove him "in no way" relates to the Guthrie investigation, but is instead based on his disciplinary record and alleged dishonesty.
- On Friday, May 8, 2026, CBS reported that local leaders in Arizona are pushing to remove Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos from office while he leads the Nancy Guthrie disappearance investigation.
- CBS characterizes the effort as grounded in accusations that Nanos lied about his past disciplinary record, tying those claims explicitly to the removal push.
- The report reiterates that Nancy Guthrie, mother of 'Today' show co-host Savannah Guthrie, has been missing for more than three months as of May 8, 2026.
- On Thursday, May 7, 2026, Pima County Supervisors Matt Heinz and Steve Christy said they plan to move at next week's board meeting to have Sheriff Chris Nanos' office vacated.
- Heinz and Christy allege Nanos lied about his disciplinary history from his 1970s–1980s tenure with the El Paso Police Department, including suspensions and other actions, amounting to potential perjury.
- The supervisors say Nanos missed a deadline to respond under oath to the board's questions, and they intend to rely on an 1873 Arizona law they argue allows the board to vacate his office for that failure.
- Heinz indicated that, even without a board majority, supervisors can refer alleged perjury for prosecution by the state attorney general, while a unanimous vote would add political weight.
- Christy said that because both the supervisors and Nanos are elected officials, both sides have retained outside counsel rather than using the county attorney's office, adding cost to taxpayers.
- On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, CBS News aired a segment in which FBI Director Kash Patel was described as attempting to shift blame to local authorities for the handling of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.
- The Pima County Sheriff's Office told CBS that some of Patel's public comments about the Guthrie investigation are not accurate, directly disputing his characterization.
- The segment frames the dispute as an active disagreement between federal and local officials over responsibility and accuracy in the ongoing case.