A retired Pima County Sheriff's Office lieutenant with nearly three decades of service has publicly accused Sheriff Chris Nanos of bungling the investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie.

Bob Krygier, a former SWAT chief, criticized Sheriff Nanos on a podcast for his public messaging and claimed that 98% of the department once voted no confidence in the sheriff, a figure the Pima County Sheriff's Department called "inaccurate" in a statement to The U.S. Sun.

The dispute between the retired law enforcement veteran and the sitting sheriff has drawn renewed scrutiny to an already high-profile case. Critics argue that internal dysfunction at the department may be hampering the search for Nancy Guthrie, who has been missing for more than a month. Supporters of Sheriff Nanos, meanwhile, point to ongoing investigative progress, The Sun reported.

Nancy Guthrie Vanished From Her Tucson Home on February 1

Nancy Guthrie was last seen walking into her home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 1. She was abducted that same night, according to investigators. It has now been more than a month since anyone has seen or heard from the 84-year-old woman.

New footage obtained during the investigation showed a masked intruder outside Nancy's residence the night she vanished. The individual was captured on camera destroying her doorbell camera before her disappearance. Sheriff Nanos has said investigators are focusing on this masked suspect.

Police also recovered a glove at the scene that contained a DNA profile, which is currently being analyzed at a lab. Nancy's son-in-law was identified as the last person to see her before she went missing. He, along with the rest of the Guthrie family, has been ruled out as a suspect in the case.

Ransom Letters and Detentions but No Arrests

In the weeks following Nancy's disappearance, multiple news outlets received ransom letters that contained specific details about her home and clothing. At least two deadlines included in those letters reportedly passed without any movement. Investigators have not confirmed whether the authors of the letters were actually involved in her abduction.

A delivery driver and at least one additional person were detained in connection with the case. However, both were subsequently released, and no arrests have been made as of this writing. The investigation remains active and ongoing.

On Tuesday, Sheriff Nanos provided an update to NBC News. "I think the investigators are definitely closer," he said. "We got a lot of intel, a lot of leads, but now it's time to just go to work."

Retired Lieutenant Fires Back at the Sheriff's Leadership

Krygier, who spent nearly 30 years with the Pima County Sheriff's Office, appeared on the Surviving the Survivor podcast to discuss his concerns about how the case was being handled. He took direct aim at Sheriff Nanos, saying, "He is not the best one to deliver those messages most times."

"He gets wrapped up in his thoughts, he gets emotional," Krygier continued. "Even if he's not getting pushback, he sometimes just repeats himself over and over." He characterized the sheriff's public comments throughout the investigation as "bizarre."

Krygier also raised broader concerns about departmental morale. "We did a morale poll a couple of years ago – 98% of the department gave a vote of no confidence to the sheriff for various reasons," he said. "Think about that number. … This isn't Mayberry. We need to do better." He added that the situation "just makes things more difficult than it has to be" and claimed Nanos ignored the poll rather than seeking ways to improve.

Sheriff's Department Pushes Back on the Claim

The Pima County Sheriff's Department disputed Krygier's characterization of the no-confidence vote. In a statement to The U.S. Sun, the department said Krygier's claim was "inaccurate."

"The former employee failed to share that only one of five labor groups within the department participated in the vote … and of the group, less than half of their membership voted," the department said. The statement emphasized the result was "NOT 98% of the department."

On Monday, Savannah Guthrie shared a post expressing gratitude for the outpouring of community support. "We feel the love and prayers from our neighbors, from the Tucson community and from around the country," she wrote. "Please don't stop praying and hoping with us. Bring her home." The Today anchor has posted tearful social media appeals for answers and recently visited a makeshift vigil outside her mother's home.

Lessons to Learn

1. Home security systems, including doorbell cameras, can provide critical evidence but are not foolproof. Nancy Guthrie had a doorbell camera, yet the suspect deliberately destroyed it. Residents should consider multiple layers of security, such as backup cameras positioned in less obvious locations and monitored alarm systems that alert authorities immediately.

2. Neighbors and community members should remain vigilant about unusual activity near homes, especially those of elderly residents living alone. Establishing a neighborhood watch or check-in system can create an additional safety net. Quick reporting of suspicious behavior to law enforcement can make all the difference.

3. Families should maintain regular contact schedules with elderly loved ones so that any absence is noticed quickly. The sooner a disappearance is reported, the better the chances of a positive outcome.

Why This Story Matters

The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has gripped the nation not only because of her connection to a prominent television journalist but because it underscores the vulnerability of elderly Americans in their own homes. The public feud between a retired law enforcement veteran and the sitting sheriff raises serious questions about whether leadership disputes within a department can affect the outcome of critical investigations. This case serves as a reminder that every missing person deserves a focused, competent, and unified investigative effort regardless of internal politics.

Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today anchor Savannah Guthrie, was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona, home on February 1 after a masked intruder was seen destroying her doorbell camera. A glove containing a DNA profile was recovered and is being tested, ransom letters were sent to multiple news outlets, and at least two individuals were detained and released with no arrests made. Former SWAT chief Bob Krygier accused Sheriff Chris Nanos of mishandling the case and cited a disputed morale poll, while the sheriff's department called his claims inaccurate and noted that only a fraction of personnel participated in the vote. Sheriff Nanos said Tuesday that investigators are making progress, and Savannah Guthrie has continued to plead publicly for her mother's safe return.