Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos released a statement on social media Monday afternoon, putting to rest the repeated speculation that the family of Nancy Guthrie may somehow be a suspect in her disappearance.
Guthrie, 84, was kidnapped from her home in Tucson, Arizona around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, February 1, and the desperate search to find her has now entered the third week. Authorities have still not identified a a suspect.
Guthrie was last seen after she had spent the evening having dinner and playing games at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, on Saturday, January 31. Her son-in-law brought her home around 9:45 pm that night. Hours later, a man was seen on her doorbell camera approaching her front door. Droplets of blood were later found on the front door steps, but there has been no sign of Guthrie.
Some in the media have continued to speculate whether the son-in-law is a suspect, since he brought Guthrie home and was the last person to see her.
The Pima County Sheriff announced on Monday:
To be clear, the Guthrie family – to include all siblings and spouses – has been cleared as possible suspects in this case. The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case.
To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel. The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple… please, I’m begging you, the media, to honor your profession and report with some sense of compassion and professionalism.”
A statement from Sheriff Chris Nanos on the Nancy Guthrie Investigation: pic.twitter.com/YfhQSPkrFJ
— Pima County Sheriff’s Department (@PimaSheriff) February 16, 2026
Several people are slamming the sheriff for scolding the media, pointing out that he just said on Sunday that “no one” has been cleared.
Same sheriff to @dailymail on Sunday:
“Nobody has been cleared.”
24 hours later…
What changed? https://t.co/TNq361Wo0O— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) February 16, 2026
Fox News correspondent Matt Finn wrote:
On Friday when I talked to Sheriff Nanos, he scolded people accusing the Guthrie family but he did not say the family was cleared. Now today, Monday, the Sheriff just released a statement clearing Guthrie family members.
This was Friday: “The family has been fully, 100% completely, whatever we asked for they’ve done.” “You can’t accuse people of a horrific crime like that and not have any facts behind it.”
On Friday when I talked to Sheriff Nanos, he scolded people accusing the Guthrie family but he did not say the family was cleared. Now today, Monday, the Sheriff just released a statement clearing Guthrie family members.
This was Friday:
“The family has been fully, 100%…
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) February 16, 2026
It appears the sheriff’s announcement did not come from DNA results, but just his own personal instinct.
Finn continued:
NEW: I just asked Sheriff Nanos if DNA helped clear the Guthrie family from being suspects.
He says: “Not going there…they are victims and I will not stand quiet when they are re-victimized. It is not just my duty, it is every cops duty to stand up and be the voice for victims.”
NEW: I just asked Sheriff Nanos if DNA helped clear the Guthrie family from being suspects. He says:
“Not going there…they are victims and I will not stand quiet when they are re-victimized.
It is not just my duty, it is every cops duty to stand up and be the voice for…
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) February 16, 2026
Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter.)
The DML News App: www.X.com/DMLNewsApp
The Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast archive is available below, with the most recent on top. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the show by downloading The DML News App or go to Apple Podcasts.
