Guests – Nils Grevillius, Richard Mack, Steve Christy
Watch with guest Steve Christy on YouTube
On a today’s edition of Winn Tucson, host Kathleen Winn tackled the high-profile disappearance of Nancy Guthrie — the 84-year-old mother of NBC "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie — alongside broader concerns about crime, law enforcement leadership, immigration enforcement, and regional transportation funding in Pima County, Arizona.
The program featured in-depth conversations with crime expert and private detective Nils Grevillius (author of The Last Lawman: True Stories of a Private Detective), former sheriff and president of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association Richard Mack, Pima County Supervisor Steve Christie, and caller Laurie Moore, a frequent vocal participant at county meetings.
The Nancy Guthrie Disappearance: Kidnapping or Staged Homicide?
The episode's central focus was the ongoing investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance from her Catalina Foothills home on the night of January 31, 2026. She was reported missing the following day after failing to attend church. Authorities, including the Pima County Sheriff's Office and the FBI, treat the case as an abduction, citing blood evidence on the porch (confirmed as hers via DNA), a disconnected doorbell camera around 1:47 a.m., a detected person on camera at 2:12 a.m., and her Apple Watch and pacemaker going offline shortly after.
Nils Grevillius, a Los Angeles-based private detective and U.S. Army veteran, told Winn he believes the case is more likely a homicide staged to resemble a kidnapping than a genuine ransom abduction.
"I don't believe Nancy Guthrie is still alive," Grevillius said bluntly. "This is a murder and it was staged to look like a kidnapping."
He pointed to competing narratives: early ransom demands (including fake ones, such as one leading to an arrest in Hawthorne, California) versus recent searches at the home of Guthrie's daughter Annie, including activity around a septic tank and removal of evidence bags. Grevillius emphasized that high-profile ransom kidnappings of civilians are rare in the modern era — comparing it to the Patty Hearst case — and would require extensive reconnaissance to evade modern surveillance.
He contrasted this with cartel-related abductions, which typically target criminal associates rather than civilians like Nancy Guthrie. Former Sheriff Mark Lamb, appearing on Fox News (referenced by Winn), agreed it lacked cartel hallmarks.
Grevillius warned that early misclassification as a kidnapping (rather than a potential homicide) risks crime-scene contamination, drawing parallels to the JonBenét Ramsey case.
"If this is actually a homicide that was treated as a kidnapping, there is the potential for contaminating the crime scene," he explained.
He predicted resolution within the week through FBI analysis of cell-phone metadata and area surveillance.
Winn raised local frustrations, including criticism of Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos for attending a University of Arizona basketball game during the crisis, delayed deployment of a FLIR-equipped plane due to personnel issues, and repeated raising/lowering of crime-scene tape.
Grevillius called the handling a potential "benchmark for failure" and highlighted Tucson's broader crime challenges amid strained law-enforcement resources.
Sheriff Richard Mack on Law Enforcement, Constitutional Sheriffs, and the Guthrie Case
Sheriff Richard Mack, president of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA.org), joined to discuss threats to the office of sheriff nationwide — particularly in Washington state, where elected sheriffs face replacement by appointed bureaucrats and new barriers to candidacy.
Mack criticized efforts to undermine constitutional authority and linked them to broader political agendas, including sanctuary policies and non-enforcement of immigration laws.
On the Guthrie case, Mack expressed concern over early contamination of the scene, especially allowing media access.
"I think it contaminated any possible evidence," he said.
He questioned whether canine units effectively tracked scents from blood evidence or the victim's path, and offered to review the case file for Sheriff Nanos at no charge to assist the family.
"If Nanos would like a fresh pair of eyes... I do that for free," Mack stated. "My prayers are with Savannah and her family."
He encouraged public involvement with CSPOA to support constitutional law enforcement and civil rights.
Pima County Supervisor Steve Christie on ICE Protests, County Governance, and RTA
Supervisor Steve Christie (District 4) addressed recent Board of Supervisors actions, including three resolutions from Chair Jennifer Allen opposing ICE enforcement on county property, requiring removal of agents' facial coverings, and voicing opposition to a proposed Marana ICE detention center. All passed, with Christie as the lone dissenting vote.
He challenged the practicality of the anti-ICE ordinance.
"Who's going to enforce this? Are you suggesting that the sheriff go in and fight ICE with an armed militia battle?" Christie asked, noting audience applause for potential confrontation.
Christie proposed a substitute motion to prohibit doxing of law enforcement instead of mandating mask removal — a measure that failed for lack of a second.
He highlighted hypocrisy: the same officials supported masks during COVID but now demand their removal from federal agents, likely to enable doxing and harassment.
Christie praised County Attorney Laura Conover for distinguishing between ICE sweeps and long-term investigations (citing the recent action at a local taco chain) and urging calm.
On the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) renewal measures (Propositions 418 and 419), ballots for which were set to mail February 11, 2026, Christie urged a regional perspective despite City of Tucson mismanagement.
He noted that RTA projects have improved major corridors (e.g., Houghton, Valencia), though maintenance often falls short locally. Public transit receives roughly 28% of funding — a consistent proportion since the original 2004 voter approval — but free buses in Tucson create subsidy concerns.
Public Voice: Laurie Moore on County Meetings and Radical Activism
Caller Laurie Moore, known for her prepared, fact-based statements at Board meetings, described a volatile recent session where she requested an escort to her car due to the charged atmosphere.
She criticized rapid shifts in activist focus — from border issues to ICE opposition — and hypocrisy in demanding mask removal while wearing masks themselves.
Moore endorsed body cameras on agents and felony charges for assaulting officers, which could strip voting and firearm rights from convicted protesters.
"I would love to take the vote away from Democrats because their vote is as dangerous as a gun," she quipped.
Christie praised Moore's logical, law-focused presentations for unsettling emotional arguments.
The episode closed with a mix of concern over unresolved local crises and pride in the University of Arizona Wildcats' strong season, underscoring the community's complex mood as investigations and elections continue.