The sheriff in charge of the Nancy Guthrie case reveals heartbreaking news

since Nancy Guthrie The case began, the Pima County Sheriff, Chris NanosIt has faced intense scrutiny from the public and experts alike. Now, he has shared the personal tragedy he faced during the investigation. The law enforcement officer’s brother died the day after Nancy disappeared. That fact adds another heartbreaking layer to this deeply sad story.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos reveals that Nancy Guthrie’s brother died the day after she was taken

Although the FBI was involved in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has been the public face of the investigation since day one. This is the case because he has repeatedly spoken to the press to provide updates and dispel rumours. While his interactions with the press have focused on trying to get to the bottom of what happened Savannah Guthrie’s Mom, he recently opened up briefly about his loss.

During a February 2026 Daily Mail interview, he told the outlet he had a thick skin amid criticism. In that context, Nanos shared that the day after Nancy was taken away, her own brother, who was in the hospital, died. A poignant twist is added to this already devastating case when the man who spends days trying to bring his mother back to his family learns that he has just lost his own sibling.

Sheriff Chris Nanos defends the Guthrie family and his team amid criticism

Such high-profile criminal cases naturally attract heavy criticism from the concerned public. That has certainly been the case for Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos and his team. A Daily Mail article also revealed the news about the death of the sheriff’s brother, with a headline calling the investigation into the Guthrie case “shambolic”. This is especially incredible as the report calls for Nanos to be more responsible to the media.

Speaking to the outlet, the sheriff asked the online media to stop speculating about Tommaso Cioni. “People out there can be so ugly and rude and nasty and don’t have the facts,” he said. “I tell my journalists, you need to be a little more responsible… because that’s a really bad thing.”

After insisting that no one has been ruled out in the investigation, Nanos pushed back on unfounded online rumors about Guthrie family members. “I understand the pundits are out there. They’ll say, well, he’s the last person to see him alive. We get that. But, my goodness, you’ve sealed someone who could be completely innocent. And more importantly, that’s family.”

He also discussed with observers who criticized aspects of the investigation, such as how quickly police released the crime scene at Nancy Guthrie’s home. Nanos said he was confident his officers had thoroughly searched the scene for evidence. “My officers were there for about 20 hours, and they processed their scene, did it and brought all the evidence,” he said. ‘Then the FBI came in and did their job.

Nanos’ defense to the investigation also focused on the allegations against him personally. In response to reports claiming he prevented the FBI from gaining access to evidence, he flatly disputed it. “That’s too far-fetched. Why would I do that? It doesn’t make sense.”

This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on February 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a preferred resource by clicking here.