Attorneys representing two Arizona men and a mother have filed a notice of claim against the Pima County sheriff and a detective. This move precedes a potential lawsuit and targets Sheriff Chris Nanos and the detective. The claim alleges wrongful arrest and property damage.
Carlos Palazuelos, one of the men, was detained on February 10 for questioning but released without charges. Authorities were seeking those responsible for the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, mother of ‘TODAY’ co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, earlier that month. On the same day, Daniel Maddox, the other man involved, was handcuffed and held for hours during a search of his home. The property belongs to his mother, who also highlights damage done to it.
The notice, dated Monday and reported by NBC affiliate KVOA in Tucson, claims deputies wrongfully arrested Palazuelos at gunpoint, holding him without probable cause for around seven to eight hours in public view. KVOA confirmed the notice’s submission and states Palazuelos’s innocence, accusing authorities of ransacking his home. He has reportedly suffered physical, emotional, and reputational harm.
According to the notice, Sheriff Nanos made public posts suggesting Palazuelos was involved in the case, despite requests from counsel to retract such statements. These actions portrayed Palazuelos as a suspect to the public.
In a separate incident, the notice describes Maddox’s detention as wrongful, causing him various forms of suffering. Officers allegedly in military gear aimed guns at him, instructing him to lie on the ground after investigating a loud noise. He was reportedly guarded for several hours outside in a van. Maddox’s mother, Josefina Maddox, also named in the notice, owns the home.
The sheriff’s department has yet to comment on the notice, and attempts to seek input from county officials have received no response. The attorneys propose a $2.5 million settlement regarding Palazuelos. Offers to settle claims for Daniel Maddox and his mother amount to $500,000 and $250,000 respectively.
The county, along with the sheriff’s department, may face future claims. 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson area home on February 1. The FBI is treating her disappearance as a kidnapping-for-ransom case.
Sheriff Nanos stated the investigation remains active with ongoing analysis of DNA and digital evidence. In a Thursday statement, the sheriff’s office affirmed that the investigation, although complex and lengthy, continues to follow every credible lead.
Days before, Savannah Guthrie released a video plea, urging those responsible for the disappearance to provide information. ‘Our family is in agony,’ she expressed, appealing for cooperation to find her mother.