The investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is facing fresh criticism, with a sheriff’s deputies union leader claiming the early team had limited homicide experience and struggled with coordination.
The Nancy Guthrie investigation was in trouble from the get-go because of the team's shocking lack of experience, according to Sergeant Aaron Cross, president of the Pima County Deputies Organization, a union representing sheriff's deputies, as per TMZ.
What Aaron Cross said about the investigation
Cross told TMZ that some investigators assigned after Guthrie disappeared had about three years of experience, a level he suggested was inadequate for a major homicide investigation.
He noted the lead sergeant on the case had only been promoted in 2023 before quickly moving from patrol into homicide. “I don't believe he put in for that [assignment] - usually those assignments are made by command,” Cross said. “So command, for whatever reason despite the fact that he had never been in homicide before, thought he was the right person for that unit.”
When asked to quantify the experience level of the detectives, Cross said, “They all had some because they were in the homicide unit, but it was very limited. Three years or less - all of them.” He added that “novice homicide detectives” was a "fair characterization" of the team, noting, “You can't even call yourself a homicide detective until you've been through a trial, so it takes time to learn the ropes.”
{{/usCountry}}When asked to quantify the experience level of the detectives, Cross said, “They all had some because they were in the homicide unit, but it was very limited. Three years or less - all of them.” He added that “novice homicide detectives” was a "fair characterization" of the team, noting, “You can't even call yourself a homicide detective until you've been through a trial, so it takes time to learn the ropes.”
{{/usCountry}}Cross also explained why experienced detectives weren't leading the case from the start, describing an earlier dispute involving the department's two most senior homicide detectives. “I would say what happened is our two most senior detectives in the homicide unit had been transferred out prior to this because they were handling investigations and they had a suspect for a homicide,” Cross said.
He explained they were building a case but weren't ready to make an arrest when their commander “demanded them to be arrested immediately.” He added, “Of course, the probable cause wasn't there yet, so they didn't. And as a result of them moving too slowly in his opinion, [they were] transferred out of homicide to cold case.”
Cross flags investigation gaps and FBI tensions
Cross said he wasn't aware of any specific investigative steps that were entirely missed, but instead described weak tracking of interviews and assignments, as cite by The Mirror. “As far as missed, I don't believe so. The issue was that it was a lot of duplication of work because we weren't accurately tracking who'd been spoken to. And so that, that was kind of the missteps and that part,” he said.
He pointed to a bigger problem: the decision to release the original crime scene shortly after the investigation began. “The big misstep, in my opinion and the opinion of many of the detectives and people in the community, is just giving up the scene so quickly,” Cross alleged. “I think the next day it was given back to the family, and there was no reason for that.”
Cross also spoke about tensions between the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI. He credited the FBI with finding Ring camera footage that became key evidence in the case. Cross said he believes the sheriff’s department is trying to solve the case “from behind a desk,” which he does not think is likely.
Sheriff Chris Nanos, who has faced criticism over his handling of the investigation, marked six months into the case by sharing a message to the Guthrie family. “We're still here. We're not going away. If you could just see the team working, you'd see the energy, the concern,” Nanos said in a video shared on August 1. “They're fired up and we will continue to work this case hard."