Attorneys representing two Arizona men and a homeowner have filed a $3.25 million notice of claim against Pima County, Sheriff Chris Nanos, and a detective.
The claim stems from a search linked to the abduction of Nancy Guthrie.
The legal filing, submitted on July 27, alleges wrongful arrest, public humiliation, and extensive property damage. It serves as a precursor to a potential lawsuit.
Incident Details
Delivery driver Carlos Palazuelos was pulled over and arrested at gunpoint on Feb. 10 in Rio Rico, about 60 miles south of Tucson.
He was held for seven to eight hours without probable cause and released without charges.
During the same operation, deputies in military attire entered a nearby residence.
Resident Daniel Maddox was forced to the ground, handcuffed, and kept under armed guard outside for hours.
The search caused structural damage to the home, including a broken front door, damaged door frame, defaced ceiling tiles, and destroyed paint.
Homeowner Josefina Maddox is seeking $250,000 for the damage.
The claim demands $2.5 million for Palazuelos and $500,000 for Daniel Maddox.
Allegations of Misconduct
The notice states that Palazuelos' arrest was made publicly to damage his reputation and implicate him in the kidnapping.
Lawyers say Sheriff Nanos' public statements and social media posts wrongly portrayed Palazuelos as a key suspect.
Despite requests, law enforcement has refused to retract statements or publicly clear the men's names.
Defense attorney Jesse Showalter condemned the actions as an error based on false premises.
Showalter emphasized the trauma his clients experienced and called for the department to clear their names.
He stated, "There's no doubt at this point that it was a wrongful search and a wrongful arrest."
Pima County authorities have 60 days to respond to the claims. Sheriff Nanos maintained that factors beyond a simple tip guided their actions.
Meanwhile, testing on hair samples from Guthrie's home yielded no leads. The sheriff's department said DNA and digital evidence analysis is ongoing.
The FBI continues to investigate the disappearance as a kidnapping for ransom. Savannah Guthrie, Nancy's daughter, released a video message pleading for her mother's return.
"Our family is in agony," she said. She begged those responsible to do the right thing and help find her mother.
Federal agents are still evaluating multiple ransom notes sent to local media.
