Two men who were detained during the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, have announced plans to sue the Pima County Sheriff’s Office for wrongful arrest. This development comes as the investigation reaches the six-month mark without any arrests or significant breakthroughs.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, went missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 1. Authorities suspect she was kidnapped, but no evidence of her whereabouts has been discovered despite a thorough investigation, which included leads such as blood splatter found at the alleged abduction site.
Carlos Palazuelos and Daniel Maddox filed a notice of claim on Monday against Sheriff Chris Nanos and a detective involved in the case. This filing is a prerequisite to a lawsuit under Arizona law and seeks a total of $3.25 million in damages for wrongful arrest, property damage, and reputational harm.
Palazuelos, who was detained on February 10 and released without charges, is seeking $2.5 million, claiming that investigators damaged his home and that his detention caused lasting harm. Maddox, who was handcuffed during a search of his mother’s home, is seeking $500,000, while his mother, Josefina Maddox, is seeking an additional $250,000 for damage to her property.
The notice of claim also states that Sheriff Nanos contributed to public suspicion by posting on social media that “the subject is currently being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation.”
As the search for answers continues, the Guthrie family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her recovery, while the FBI has added a $100,000 reward for information that significantly advances the investigation. Authorities are looking for a man described as approximately 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall with an average build.