The Sheriff in Charge of the Nancy Guthrie Case Reveals Heartbreaking News
Since then Nancy Guthrie Trial commenced, Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanoshas come under intense scrutiny from both the public and experts. Now he has shared news about the personal tragedy he experienced throughout the investigation. The police officer’s brother died a day after Nancy was reported missing. This fact adds another heartbreaking layer to this deeply tragic story.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos Announces His Brother Died The Day After Nancy Guthrie Was Kidnapped
(Photo: Jan Sonnenmair at Getty Images)
Although the FBI is involved in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has been the public face of the investigation from day one. The reason this was the case was because he repeatedly spoke to the press to provide updates and dispel rumors. While his interactions with the press are focused on getting to the bottom of what happened to him by Savannah Guthrie The mother recently opened up about her own loss.
During a Daily Mail interview in February 2026, he told the publication that he had thick skin amid the criticism he received. In this context, Nanos shared the following the day after Nancy was kidnapped: His own brother, who was in a nursing home, died. Knowing that the man who fought for days to return a mother to her family had recently lost his own brother adds an even more poignant dimension to an already devastating case.
Sheriff Chris Nanos Defends Guthrie Family and Staff Against Criticism
(Photo: Jan Sonnenmair at Getty Images)
High-profile criminal cases such as this naturally attract heavy criticism from the concerned public. That’s certainly been the case for Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos and his team. Even the Daily Mail article that broke the news of the Sheriff’s brother’s death included a headline calling the investigation of the Guthrie case a “farce.” This is especially incredible since the report quotes Nanos as asking the media to be more responsible.
While speaking to the outlet, the sheriff called on online media to stop their assumptions about Tommaso Cioni. “People out there can be pretty nasty and rude and obnoxious and not have the facts,” he said. “I tell my journalists, you guys need to be a little more responsible… because this is truly disgusting.”
Emphasizing that no one was overlooked in the investigation, Nanos pushed back on unsubstantiated online rumors about Guthrie family members. “I understand the experts are there. They’ll say she was the last person to see him alive. We understand those things. But, my God, you’re putting a stamp on someone who could be completely innocent. And more importantly than that, he’s family.”
He also mentioned observers who criticized some aspects of the investigation, such as how quickly police released the crime scene at Nancy Guthrie’s home. Nanos explained that he was confident his officers had thoroughly investigated the scene for evidence. “My officers were there for almost 20 hours and investigated the scene, handled it and brought in all the evidence,” he said. “Then the FBI came and did its job.”
Nanos’ defense regarding the investigation also focused on the allegations made about him personally. He completely disputed this in response to reports claiming that the FBI blocked his access to evidence. “This is such a far-fetched idea. Why would I do this? It doesn’t make any sense.”
This story was first published by . Men’s Magazine First appeared on February 16, 2026 News section. Add Men’s Journal at: Preferred Source by clicking here.
