Nancy Guthrie Case: Expert Slams Sheriff for Fueling Conspiracy Theories

Since Nancy Guthrie first disappeared, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has served as the public face of the investigation. Now, a retired lieutenant and expert, Michael Gould, has sharply criticized the sheriff for how he has communicated with the public, saying he has "fueled conspiracy theories."

Why an Expert Criticized Pima County Sheriff’s Communication for Fueling Conspiracy Theories

As the leader of the Pima County team investigating Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping, Sheriff Chris Nanos has been under intense pressure and public scrutiny. Now, an expert has added to that by criticizing how the sheriff has communicated with the media. It is important to note that the expert didn't raise concerns about how the actual investigation has been handled. As Gould explained, "Both the FBI and local investigators are working diligently on this case. My criticism has never been about investigative effort-it has been about communication."

Gould, who is a retired NYPD Lieutenant, spoke to The Mirror US for a February 26 article. After remarking that Nanos hasn't been trained in public communication, Gould argued that the sheriff's public remarks have had unintended negative consequences.

"The sheriff is not a trained Public Information Officer, and his continued one-off interviews have created confusion and fueled conspiracy theories."

After that, Gould said that he does not believe that Nanos is "the appropriate spokesperson for an investigation of this magnitude." He also criticized the law enforcement official for not realizing that he should have "delegated that responsibility to someone with professional media-relations training."

While speaking to the outlet, Gould didn't give any specific examples of mistakes he believes Nanos has made. Instead, he focused broadly on the sheriff's overall approach to media appearances.

In addition to being a retired Lieutenant, Gould's website states that he was one of the first members of the NYPD's elite Canine Unit and served as the Department’s Canine Training Officer. Police dogs are frequently used in missing persons cases like the one focused on Savannah Guthrie's mom. The NBC News affiliate WESH 2 has also reported that Gould worked on security details for President George H.W. Bush and President Jimmy Carter. After many years working in law enforcement, he has commented publicly on several high-profile cases. For example, the WESH report featured Gould discussing the role that local officers play in assisting the Secret Service to protect the President.