Sheriff in Nancy Guthrie Abduction Case Makes Another 'Crucial' Error With 'Target' Confession — As the Hunt for Savannah's Missing Mom Ramps Up
Sheriff Chris Nanos may have committed yet another mistake.
March 16 2026, Published 1:45 p.m. ET
Sheriff Chris Nanos has made another brutal mistake in the Nancy Guthrie case, as the missing elderly woman has yet to be found, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
On Thursday, March 12, Nanos dropped a theory on why the 84-year-old was "targeted," and even warned the community the mystery kidnapper could strike again... a comment that is already being labeled a devastating mistake.
Sheriff Chris Nanos' 'Risky' Statement
Chris Nanos has been accused of fumbling Nancy Guthrie's investigation.
"From my experience as a crisis communications practitioner, where it gets complicated is when, in that same interview, he suggests the suspect could strike again," former FBI agent Jason Pack explained. "Once you put that out there, every person watching wants to know who’s at risk and what they ought to do about it.”
Pack scolded Nanos and raged, "If you can't answer those questions, you probably shouldn't lead with that statement. A warning without context doesn’t necessarily protect people. It worries them. And it sits a little uneasily alongside the 'targeted attack' framing he's also offered."
"Those two ideas need to fit together before they go out the door," he added.
Last month, locals in Tucson, Arizona, were said to have been requesting "safe rooms" in their homes following the abduction.
Nanos claimed the suspect could soon strike again.
"It's got people thinking, 'What would we do if someone broke in tonight?' Kevin Hand, who works at Sportsman Steel Safes, noted at the time. "People don't want this to happen to them or their families, and they're realizing maybe it can."
As far as Pack, he questioned whether Nanos and the FBI have been on the same page, and said, "When public messaging is coordinated and coming from one unified voice, it tells you the joint investigation is firing on all cylinders.
"When statements get out ahead of that coordination, it raises questions about where the seams are."
Pack also threw Nanos a tip and said, "I just think a little more discipline at the podium, coordinated closely with FBI leadership, would serve everyone better as this moves forward."
Investigation Update: Employees Questioned
Nanos has already investigated employees at a restaurant Nancy Guthrie and her famous daughter would frequently visit.
Despite the criticism, the investigation has continued, as the FBI recently questioned employees at a Mexican restaurant in Tucson, where Nancy and her daughter, Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, were frequent patrons.
The restaurant, El Charro, appeared as part of Savannah's "Homecoming" segment that aired on the popular morning show in November 2025, just three months before Nancy's disappearance.
"(Employees) at the Mexican restaurant were telling me the FBI came by and said, you know, was there anyone here who looked suspicious when Savannah was there filming with her mom? Anyone who wanted to take pictures, or who got angry, or who was lingering around in a creepy way?" NewsNation reporter Brian Entin revealed to the public.
Nancy was reported missing to local police on February 1, and despite there being footage of the apparent kidnapper, no trace of the missing woman has been found.
Chris Nanos' Mistakes Exposed
Nancy Guthrie's kids have pleaded for her return, as she's been missing since February 1.
Nanos has received the brunt of the backlash, with many claiming he has fumbled the investigation.
Lisa Ribacoff-Mooney, a polygraph expert and the owner of Interpoint Investigative Services, explained that police may have already messed up the case by failing to secure the crime scene properly.
"This investigation is going to be written into the textbooks being used by many police academies on how and what not to do when it comes to investigative work," Ribacoff-Mooney told Radar.
She added: "First mistake made was not securing the crime scene longer... To close the house off and then open it and reclose it was a disaster."
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"The amount of DNA and fibers that were brought into the home after securing it a second time was now contaminating the original crime scene," Ribacoff-Mooney explained to us.
Last week, Nanos hinted he's aware of the kidnapper's suspect, and said in a press conference, "We believe we know why he did this..."
