What To Know
- Carlos Palazuelos, initially detained in the Nancy Guthrie abduction investigation, is demanding that investigators release the sealed search warrant affidavit.
- Palazuelos and his family have filed a $3.25 million notice of claim against Pima County.
- Despite Palazuelos being investigated and questioned about possible connections to the case, no suspect has been named in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
A man who was detained early during the Nancy Guthrie investigation as a potential suspect just made a bold demand of investigators.
During an interview with Newsweek, published on August 12, Carlos Palazuelos, 36, called for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department to reveal what led to the search of his home and his detainment. The PCSD looked into Palazuelos on February 10, a little more than a week after Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie‘s mother was abducted in Tucson, Arizona.
“I want to see the search warrant affidavit that was used in order to obtain the search warrant that led to the arrest and the search of his family home,” Palazuelos’s attorney, Jesse Showalter, told Newsweek. “I want to read how it came to pass that they went after Carlos, what their purported evidence was and what they told the judge in order to get that search warrant.”
As of writing, the search warrant is “under seal,” with Showalter noting, “Whatever evidence supposedly existed, for the arrest and for the search is secret.”
Palazuelos and several members of his family filed a notice of claim seeking $3.25 million from Pima County authorities, alleging wrongful arrest and search — including Palazuelos being arrested at gunpoint and held for hours without probable cause. Pima County has 60 days to respond to the notice of claim before Showalter can file a lawsuit.
In July, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told Fox News Digital, “We had information that made us believe that there’s a potential that Nancy’s there, or there’s a potential the bad guy’s there. That evidence is presented to the judge that says, ‘Yep, go get him.’”
Palazuelos spoke with Fox News on February 11 about what investigators asked when he was detailed. He explained that he works in Tucson delivering packages, and when the reporter asked if he might have delivered something to Nancy’s home, he replied, “I don’t know, it might have been a possibility. I don’t know.”
Additionally, Palazuelos said they showed a picture of a masked suspect of Nancy’s porch (often referred to as “Porch Guy”) to one of his in-laws that “supposedly looked like my eyes.”
Nancy, 84, was last seen at her Tucson home on the evening of January 31. Although investigators released photos of “Porch Guy,” no suspect has been named in the case. Savannah has also offered a $1 million reward for information leading to an arrest.