By Hannah Parry
Associate News Editor
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The lawyer for a man detained in the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie is demanding to see the sealed evidence that led investigators to search his family’s home and hold him for hours without being charged.
Carlos Palazuelos, 36, was detained by Pima County Sheriff's deputies in February as authorities investigated the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie. He was released after around eight hours without charge.
Six months later, the circumstances that led investigators to delivery driver Palazuelos remain unclear. His attorney, Jesse Showalter, told Newsweek that is precisely the problem.
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“I want to see the search warrant affidavit that was used in order to obtain the search warrant that led to the arrest and the search of his family home,” Showalter told Newsweek. “I want to read how it came to pass that they went after Carlos, what their purported evidence was and what they told the judge in order to get that search warrant.”
Showalter added that months later, the search warrant remains "under seal."
“Whatever evidence supposedly existed, for the arrest and for the search is secret," he said. Showalter added that he does not yet know whether the evidence behind the warrant will become public.
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“That will be part of the litigation,” he said. “I don't know if it'll be made public because often what happens in these kinds of cases is the sheriff would try to continue to keep it protected under a protective order. My hope is that it will.”
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has defended the investigation, saying investigators presented evidence to a judge and received authorization to execute the warrant.
"We had information that made us believe that there’s a potential that Nancy’s there, or there’s a potential the bad guy’s there," Nanos said last month. "That evidence is presented to the judge that says, ‘Yep, go get him.’"
But he declined to share what that evidence or information was.
Palazuelos and members of his family have filed a notice of claim seeking a total of $3.25 million from Pima County authorities, a precursor to a potential lawsuit. According to the claim, Palazuelos is seeking $2.5 million, while $500,000 is sought for Palazuelos' brother-in-law, Daniel Maddox, and approximately $250,000 for his mother-in-law and the homeowner Josefina Maddox.
The claim alleges wrongful arrest and search, alleging that Palazuelos was arrested at gunpoint and held for approximately seven to eight hours without probable cause. Showalter said the county has 60 days to respond to the notice of claim, filed July 27, before his legal team can move toward filing a lawsuit.
Pima County Sheriff's Department told Newsweek they do not comment on pending litigation.
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Why Was Palazuelos Arrested?
One of the reasons Showalter is keen to unseal the warrant is to answer the question of how Palazuelos came to investigators' attention.
At the time, Palazuelos was working as a delivery driver. His attorney said he has no reason to believe his client was in the area of Guthrie's home when she disappeared.
“We don't have any reason to believe that Carlos was anywhere near that area on the date of the kidnapping,” Showalter said. “My understanding is that he was not in that area at all.”
Showalter acknowledged that investigators could potentially have encountered Palazuelos through his delivery work or other information. “But just being in the area where a crime occurred doesn't give you probable cause to arrest somebody,” he said.
The attorney also raised the possibility that investigators could have relied on inaccurate information from new AI software or Flock license-plate cameras.
“It is pure speculation on my part, but I suspect that this arrest is the result of some error or some use of fancy law-enforcement software that just ended up going wrong and putting an innocent man on the spot and harming his reputation,” he said. “But I won't be able to say that for sure until we know a great deal more.”
There is currently no public evidence establishing that such software caused Palazuelos' detention.
Inside the Search of the Palazuelos Family Home
The lawyer's account also raises questions about what happened during the search itself.
Showalter said Daniel Maddox, Palazuelos' brother-in-law, was inside the home playing video games when deputies entered.
“He had done nothing wrong when the door crashed open,” Showalter said. “And he was held at gunpoint and forced to get down on the ground in his own house by Pima County sheriff's deputies.”
Showalter said the search damaged the home's door and may have caused other damage.
“None of it was necessary in the first place,” he said. “They never should have been at the house.”
The claim alleges that the search caused property damage and that the family's members suffered physical, emotional and reputational harm as a result. The sheriff's office has not publicly disclosed the evidence that led investigators to the residence.
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Showalter Demands Nanos Clear Palazuelos and Admit 'Mistake'
The dispute over Palazuelos' status has also become a point of contention.
After his release, Showalter asked Nanos and the sheriff's department to publicly say that Palazuelos was not a person of interest and that investigators had made a mistake.
“We have repeatedly demanded that they clear Carlos and admit they made a mistake,” he said. “They refused to do so.”
Just last month, Nanos told reporters that being released does not necessarily mean someone has been permanently ruled out from the investigation.
“From what we have in front of us, the evidence, the DNA, the whatever, the videos...I think you can eliminate them," Nanos told Fox News Digital in July, referring to Palazuelos. "But it's like any [criminal case], because you're eliminated doesn't mean you didn't do it. It doesn't mean that we can't get more information.”
That position has frustrated Showalter.
“I think it just comes down to a refusal to admit error,” he told Newsweek. He argued that the sheriff's department appears unwilling to acknowledge that Palazuelos was wrongly targeted.
“It appears they just don't have any leads,” Showalter said. “Their investigation does not appear to be going well.”
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He accused the sheriff of being “very defensive” and being "happy to continue to cast blame on innocent people rather than take responsibility."
“Carlos' name is really the focus,” Showalter said, referring to the pending lawsuit. “The only real recourse is to initiate the litigation process and use that to clear his name."
Showalter said the lawsuit, if filed, would seek both damages and an opportunity to establish what happened.
The case comes as the investigation into Guthrie's disappearance remains active. In recent days, authorities have continued searching for leads, including renewed efforts by the FBI, while the sheriff's department has released ransom notes in an effort to generate information.
No suspect has been publicly charged in connection with Guthrie's disappearance.
When Did Nancy Guthrie Go Missing?
Guthrie was reported missing from her home in the Tucson, Arizona, area on February 1, 2026.
Authorities said Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills area. Her disappearance prompted a major search involving local and federal law enforcement agencies, with investigators examining surveillance footage, digital evidence and other potential leads.
Despite the extensive search, Guthrie has not been found, and authorities have not publicly identified anyone who has been charged in connection with her disappearance.
When Did Savannah Guthrie Return to 'Today'?
Savannah Guthrie returned to NBC's Today on February 23, after stepping away from the program following her mother's disappearance.
She had been absent from the show while helping with the search for her mother and spending time with her family. She has continued to speak publicly about the disappearance and has urged anyone with information to come forward.
The case has remained a major focus for Guthrie, who has repeatedly said that finding her mother is the family's priority.
What Did the Nancy Guthrie Ransom Notes Say?
Investigators have released ransom notes connected to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance in an effort to generate new leads.
Authorities have said the notes were left as part of an apparent demand for money, but investigators have not publicly established who wrote them or whether the person responsible for the notes has a connection to Guthrie's disappearance.
The release of the notes represents one of the more significant pieces of evidence made public during the investigation. Authorities have asked anyone who recognizes the handwriting, wording or other details to contact investigators.
The notes are also part of the broader evidence authorities are examining as they continue to investigate what happened to Guthrie.
Are There Suspects in the Nancy Guthrie Case?
No one has been publicly charged with Guthrie's disappearance, and authorities have not identified a confirmed suspect in the case.
Several people have come under scrutiny during the investigation, including Palazuelos and several people close to Guthrie early in the case. They included her daughter, Annie Guthrie, and son-in-law Tommaso Cioni, who was reportedly the last known person to see her before she returned home. Authorities have not accused them of involvement, and Guthrie's family was subsequently reported to have been cleared.
The FBI has separately released images of a masked individual seen near Guthrie's home and described the person as someone investigators wanted the public to help identify.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gabe Whisnant and Sam Wilson.
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