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By Hannah Parry
Associate News Editor
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The sheriff leading the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie is now facing a massive $176 million legal claim in an unrelated case—the latest in a series of legal claims filed against him in recent months.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, along with 13 deputies and other county officials, has been named in a notice of claim filed by 24-year-old Axeel Melendez, who alleges he was permanently paralyzed after deputies shot him while responding to a false "swatting" call at his home.
Newsweek has reached out to the Pima County Sheriff's Department and Sheriff Nanos via email for comment.
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The latest legal claim adds to growing scrutiny surrounding the Pima County Sheriff's Department as investigators continue searching for Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson-area home earlier this year, and no arrests have been made.
The $176 million claim comes amid a string of accusations against the department.
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Who Is Chris Nanos?
Chris Nanos is the elected sheriff of Arizona's Pima County, overseeing law enforcement operations in the Tucson area. He has led the high-profile investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie since she vanished in February 2026, regularly providing public updates alongside federal investigators.
In recent months, however, Nanos has also faced growing scrutiny over the department's handling of several unrelated incidents, including multiple legal claims alleging misconduct by deputies and criticism surrounding aspects of the Guthrie investigation.
What Does the New Lawsuit Allege?
The latest legal claim, filed by 24-year-old Melendez, states that he had warned authorities in advance that online harassers were threatening to "swat" his home by making a false emergency report.
The claim alleges deputies nevertheless forced entry into his home and opened fire, leaving him permanently paralyzed with a spinal cord injury. Melendez accuses the sheriff's office of negligence, excessive force and what the filing describes as "dangerous incompetence." The notice of claim is a precursor to a civil lawsuit under Arizona law, and no court has ruled on the allegations. The Pima County Sheriff's Department has not publicly commented on the claim because of the pending litigation.
Inmate Lawsuit
The sheriff was also named in a $25 million federal civil rights lawsuit filed in May by inmate Steven Kenneth Fox, although the case has since been dismissed by a federal judge.
Fox alleged that an officer at the Pima County Jail had disclosed information about him to other inmates, exposing him to threats and violence. He claims this led to physical assaults that left him with visible injuries and lasting pain. He also claimed that he was denied adequate medical treatment after suffering a spider bite described in the complaint as a “brown recluse” bite, and that he was later held in isolation for more than five days without access to showers or exercise, which he describes as inhumane. A judge has since dismissed Fox's lawsuit and denied his subsequent motions to reopen the case and appeal.
Neither Sheriff Nanos nor the Pima County Sheriff's Department has publicly commented on the latest legal claim, citing the pending litigation.
Nancy Guthrie Arrest
Carlos Palazuelos and two family members announced he was planning to sue the Department for $3.25 million after alleging deputies had arrested him and raided his house after Nancy went missing in February.
The legal document states Palazuelos was arrested at gunpoint, taken into custody for seven to eight hours without charge, before he was released in a town an hour south of Tucson. The notice also says he suffered property damage and accuses Nanos of refusing to clear his name, describing him as a "person of interest" just last week.
Latest on Nancy Guthrie
Six months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, the investigation remains active, with no arrests announced. In recent days, the Pima County Sheriff's Department publicly released two ransom notes sent shortly after her disappearance in hopes that the handwriting, wording or other details will generate new leads.
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One note claimed Guthrie was alive and demanded millions of dollars in cryptocurrency, while a later note alleged she had died shortly after being abducted and was buried outdoors. Authorities have not confirmed whether the claims in the notes are true and continue to investigate them alongside other evidence.
The FBI and the Guthrie family are offering rewards for information leading to her recovery or an arrest.
When Did Nancy Guthrie Go Missing?
Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC "Today" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Catalina Foothills home near Tucson during the early morning hours of Feb. 1, 2026. Investigators believe she was abducted after evidence found inside the home indicated she had been taken against her will.
Authorities have said a masked individual tampered with the home's doorbell camera before the disappearance, and surveillance footage later recovered by investigators became a key piece of evidence in the case. Despite months of searches and a joint investigation involving local, state and federal authorities, Guthrie has not been found and no suspects have been charged
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gray R. Thomas
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