Efforts to remove Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos came up short during a Tuesday night meeting of the Board of Supervisors. Despite this, the board did decide to refer allegations of perjury, related to Nanos’ previous actions and his handling of the Nancy Guthrie case, to the state’s attorney general for further investigation.

In a bold move, Republican Supervisor Steve Christy proposed declaring the sheriff’s position vacant and initiating the process to replace Nanos immediately.

However, Christy’s motion did not gain any support from his fellow board members, resulting in the failure of the initiative to remove Nanos.

Following this, Democrat Rex Scott introduced a motion to forward the perjury allegations against Nanos to the state attorney general’s office. This motion was unanimously approved by a 4-0 vote, with Christy choosing to abstain from the decision.

Scott expressed his concerns following the vote, stating, “My primary worry regarding the situation within the sheriff’s department is that our elected sheriff has made no visible efforts to mend relationships and rebuild trust within our largest department. A significant indicator of this issue is the unanimous vote of no confidence in his leadership by the Pima County Deputy’s Organization.”

The board’s actions capped a high-stakes showdown over allegations that the man leading the Guthrie kidnapping investigation lied under oath about his past police record.

The developments followed weeks of mounting pressure from within the county’s own leadership, with two supervisors, Christy and Democrat Matt Heinz, pushing to remove the elected sheriff or take formal action against him.

“This is accountability for a guy who has evaded accountability for decades,” Heinz told Fox News Digital last week, calling Nanos a “public safety threat.”

At the center of the controversy are claims Nanos misled officials about his disciplinary history as a Texas police officer in the 1970s and 1980s.

The allegations stem from a deposition in a lawsuit, where Nanos said under oath that he had never been suspended as a law enforcement officer.

The timeline of the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s mom:

Records from El Paso, first obtained by the Arizona Republic and later posted publicly by the county, show he was suspended multiple times and resigned in lieu of termination.

Christy said the sheriff had already missed a deadline to answer questions under oath from the board — escalating the situation.

“He’s already failed that request… so we’re into the next phase,” Christy said, signaling a potential move to vacate the office.

Because the sheriff is an elected official, removing him is legally complicated, though supervisors have pointed to a rarely used Arizona law dating back to the 1800s as a possible path forward.

Even without removal, Heinz said the board could still take other actions, including passing a resolution expressing a lack of confidence or referring the allegations for criminal investigation by the state attorney general.

He also noted that a conviction on perjury charges would ultimately force the sheriff from office.

Adding to the tension, both sides have retained outside legal counsel rather than relying on the county attorney’s office, a move Christy said is costing taxpayers additional money.

In a written response to the board, Nanos pushed back on the claims, arguing the controversy stems from a misunderstanding, not perjury.

His attorney says the sheriff’s testimony referred only to his Arizona career, noting he was never suspended during his decades with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, though he faced discipline earlier in Texas.

The memo also confirms Nanos resigned from the El Paso Police Department in 1982 rather than accept a proposed suspension following a dispute with a supervisor.

Heinz has disputed that characterization, arguing the record shows Nanos resigned in lieu of termination, not discipline.

The sheriff declined to answer questions in person under oath, instead submitting a notarized statement to the board after the deadline, which Heinz said may still be accepted but does not resolve the underlying concerns.

The investigation into Guthrie’s Feb. 1 disappearance has now stretched past 100 days with few public breakthroughs.

The case, involving the 84-year-old mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, has drawn national attention and sparked tension between Nanos and the FBI, including a public clash with Director Kash Patel over whether federal agents were initially sidelined.

Heinz has also called on the sheriff to hand over the investigation to federal authorities.

“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “Almost every other jurisdiction would have done so by now.”

More than $1.2 million in reward money is now being offered for information that leads to answers, as her family continues to plead for help.

A man has been apprehended abroad after federal authorities claim he eluded capture for decades following the murder of his roommate, who was the lead singer of a Detroit punk rock band.

Richard Werstine, 56, was detained in Panama by the U.S. Marshals Service with the aid of local officials, as reported by Detroit News.

Initially arrested and charged shortly after the 1993 murder of Rodney Barger, the 23-year-old frontman of Cold as Life, Werstine managed to evade justice. Barger, also known by his stage name ‘Rawn Beauty’, was fatally shot while he slept.

In a 2023 article by Revolver Magazine, Barger was characterized as a ‘legendary wild-man vocalist’. Cold as Life became renowned for their raucous performances, gaining substantial recognition in 1998 with the release of their debut album, “Born to Land Hard.”

Revolver Magazine noted that “Many of Cold as Life’s wildest tales—such as in-band fights, showdowns at their performances, and heavy drinking—are attributed to Barger’s unpredictable nature, yet his prowess as an intense vocalist and raw poet of the working class remains undeniable.”

Werstine failed to appear for his trial in 1994 and another arrest warrant for him was issued in June of that year.

For the next 32 years, Werstine used a series of aliases to evade capture, according to the US Marshals Service. 

In May 2022, when the US Marshals took over the investigation, they discovered that Werstine had been arrested multiple times under fake names over the years. Authorities simply never connected the dots to figure out who he really was, federal investigators said.

‘He was a ghost since ’94,’ a federal source told Click On Detroit. ‘He was very cunning, very crafty while on the run.’ 

Pictured: U.S. Marshals and police escort Richard Werstine in Houston. He was arrested in Panama, where he spent more than 20 years of his life

Werstine, 56, was arrested last month for the 1993 murder of Rodney Barger

US Marshals said they used state-of-the-art investigative techniques to catch Werstine, who had been hiding out in Panama. They never received any tips on his whereabouts.

Police in Panama City arrested him at a dog park on April 29. Officers said he had fake identification documents on him, though his identity was later confirmed when his fingerprints were analyzed.

Werstine admitted his true identity and said he was a fugitive. He also told Panamanian authorities that he had illegally entered the country in 2005.

On Saturday, the US Marshals retrieved Werstine with the help of the Diplomatic Security Service, the law enforcement arm of the US State Department, and agents with Homeland Security Investigations.

‘The US Marshals Service takes crimes of this nature extremely seriously given the violent nature of the alleged offense and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution,’ said Owen Cypher, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Michigan. 

‘The dedication of all members of my staff who spearheaded the arrest of this fugitive who has been on the run for over 30 years is a testimony to their resolve. It sends a message to fugitives that there is no place you can hide that the US Marshals Service won’t find you and bring you to justice.’

Chief Deputy US Marshal Jimmy Allen said Werstine had gotten married in Panama and had started ‘a whole new life’.

The 23-year-old lead singer of Cold as Life was shot to death in his sleep

Pictured: A Cold as Life album cover honoring Barger after his death

‘He had roots in Panama,’ Allen said. ‘I think he thought that he would never be caught. You could tell he really wanted to know how he was found and what happened.’

Allen said he was glad to finally bring closure to Barger’s family.

‘It’s been 30 years and now they can at least rest their heads at night and have some justice,’ Allen said. ‘That doesn’t change what happened, but you know, at least there’s some closure that someone’s going to pay for what they did.’

Werstine is in the United States and is awaiting extradition back to Michigan. 

This article addresses the topic of suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or 800-273-TALK (8255).

Authorities have confirmed that the tragic incident on Friday night at Denver International Airport, which resulted in a fatal runway collision, was a suicide. The victim had managed to breach several layers of airport security.

The individual has been identified as Michael Mott, aged 41. Surveillance footage captured him lingering near a runway before he abruptly stepped into the path of a Frontier Airlines aircraft during its takeoff sequence.

Airport representatives disclosed that Mott gained access to the restricted area by scaling an 8-foot fence topped with barbed wire. In a devastating turn of events, he was drawn into the plane’s engine, causing a subsequent fire.

The medical examiner reported that Mott’s death was due to multiple blunt and sharp-force injuries.

A Frontier Airlines plane taxis to a gate at Denver International Airport (DEN) on March 23, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

According to airport representatives, ground detection sensors set off an alarm near the perimeter fence shortly after 11 p.m.

Authorities said airport operators monitoring live surveillance cameras initially did not spot any trespassers. Instead, they identified what appeared to be a herd of deer near the fence line. Ditches in the area may have also partially obstructed their view of the individual, officials added.

Despite the initial findings, airport officials were notified shortly afterward that an individual had been struck by the aircraft while crossing the runway. 

“And then just minutes later, we were alerted by the FAA of the person being hit,” Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington said. 

“It took approximately 15 seconds for this person, to jump over the eight-foot fence topped with barbed wire,” Washington added. “The time between climbing over the fence and being struck by the plane again was approximately two minutes.”

Officials added that Mott crossed roughly 650 feet of land to reach the runway after scaling the fence.

Thermal imaging shows an unidentified person scaling a perimeter fence before walking into the path of a Frontier airplane at Denver International Airport on May 8, 2026. (KDVR)

After the incident, investigators said the fence in the area where the breach occurred was found to be completely intact. 

Officials stated they do not currently know how Mott traveled to such a remote area as investigators did not find any car, bicycle or other types of vehicles nearby.

The airport’s security system relies on 36 miles of TSA-compliant fencing, along with closed-circuit cameras, thermal imaging, ground-based radar and security patrols.

Officials emphasized that safety protocols and perimeter security are currently under review to identify potential improvements to the airport’s defense system, including efforts to address potential camera blind spots caused by ditches near the fence line.

A plane departs from the Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado on May 6, 2024. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

There were 231 people on board Frontier Flight 4345, officials said.

Twelve passengers reported minor injuries, most of them sustained while using the emergency slide during the evacuation.

Five individuals were transported to local hospitals and four have been released. The condition of the remaining patient remains unknown.

The investigation remains ongoing and is being conducted jointly by local law enforcement and federal agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Rep. Tom Suozzi recently voiced his disapproval of fellow Democrats’ efforts to accelerate the redistricting process in New York, aiming to bolster their chances in the 2028 elections. Suozzi’s stance highlights a growing divide within the party on this contentious issue.

During an interview with CNN anchor Abby Phillip, Suozzi made his position clear. “I’m opposed to all gerrymandering. I’ve always been opposed to gerrymandering,” he asserted. His comments came in response to a proposal by New York Democrat lawmakers, which is supported by Governor Kathy Hochul, to introduce a constitutional amendment next year. This amendment would allow for the redrawing of congressional districts ahead of the 2028 elections.

The push for redistricting is gaining momentum, with Brooklyn Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic minority leader, advocating for the changes. As he stands poised to become the next speaker if Democrats regain control of Congress, Jeffries has urged New York state lawmakers to act before 2030.

Suozzi’s remarks did not sit well with some Democrats in both New York and Washington, DC. According to a party insider who spoke with The Post, there is a palpable frustration with Suozzi’s dissent. “Suozzi is the only Democrat in New York not standing with Hakeem Jeffries and Kathy Hochul,” an anonymous Empire State Democratic official lamented, indicating the isolation of his stance within the party.

“Suozzi is the only Democrat in New York not standing with Hakeem Jeffries and Kathy Hochul,” fumed an Empire State Democratic official who requested anonymity.

“Democrats see this effort as the front line to ave the integrity of the democratic process. To save our democracy.”

This action counters President Trump’s and the Republicans’ initial moves to redraw House maps in red states for partisan advantage, aiming to help the GOP keep the majority during the 2026 midterm elections.

Democrats have responded in kind, attempting to redraw House maps under their control in what has become an all-out war.

Jeffries himself has called the redistricting fight “maximum warfare” and that the Democrats weren’t going to unilaterally disarm and cede ground to Trump and the GOP.

Redrawing congressional maps purely to benefit one political party is called gerrymandering. It involves drawing irregularly shaped districts to “pack” opposing voters into a few districts or spreading them across many, reducing their overall voting power.

But Suozzi said both parties are wrong.

“Conservative, liberal, moderate, let’s all agree this is wrong,” Suozzi said. “It’s awful on both sides.”

“We should have independent redistricting. We should allow independents to vote. We should have open primaries,” Suozzi said, which allow non-party members to vote in primary elections.

Told that Trump and GOP-run Texas instigated the redistricting war, Suozzi said, “There’s going to be this tit for tat. `They’ll do this, and we’ll do that.’ It’s bad for America.”

But a Democratic Party insider told the Post that Suozzi requested the last redistricting include more Democratic voters in his swing district.

Suozzi clarified and partly walked back his comments he made on CNN when contacted by The Post.

“Congressman Suozzi has long opposed partisan gerrymandering because it fuels division and weakens representative democracy,” said Suozzi campaign senior advisor Kim Devlin.

“At the same time, he recognizes that Republicans across the country have aggressively manipulated district maps for partisan gain, undermining fairness in the electoral process. Democrats are right to fight fire with fire in the short term, but our ultimate goal must be to undo all partisan gerrymandering,” the Suozzi rep added.

A recent Supreme Court ruling striking down a Black-majority district in Louisiana has intensified the House redistricting battles.

The landmark ruling stated that Louisiana had unconstitutionally gerrymandered by race to form a new voting district, setting a new precedent.

Democrats complained the decision weakens the Voting Rights Act of 1965 approved to prohibit discrimination in voting.

A significant crowd gathered in Joliet, Illinois, on Tuesday to express concerns over a proposed solar farm that could span across three townships in Will County.

The project was the focus of a meeting mandated by a judge, allowing community members to question developers ahead of a final decision. The developers were met with intense scrutiny.

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“It’s your responsibility as the commission to make the right decision. If the application lacks completeness, it should be rejected,” stated Steven Becker, the lawyer representing those opposing the solar farm.

The inquiries represented the interests of numerous opponents of the 600-megawatt solar and battery storage project, which threatens to affect several farming and wetland areas in the southwest suburbs.

Green Garden Township resident Melissa Tabb-Eager voiced a critical concern: “Installing tens of thousands of galvanized steel poles that will eventually corrode could severely contaminate our water supply.”

“There is no evidence, or documented evidence of steel piles from solar facilities leeching into ground water. It doesn’t exist,” said Ben Jacobi, an attorney for Earthrise Energy.

Earthrise Energy, a Virginia-based power producer company that aims to reduce electric greenhouse gas emissions, looks to make Will County home to its Pride of the Prairie solar farm complex.

The proposed project would span about 6,100 acres across Manhattan, Green Garden and Wilton townships.

The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission, ending the hours long meeting, voted against the proposed development.

“So, if this does proceed to a lawsuit down the road, this is where the evidence will be presented. That’s why the court granted our temporary restraining order to allow my clients to have this type of cross-examination,” Becker said.

This vote was only a recommendation by the commission. Plans will now head to the Will County Executive Committee on Thursday for further consideration with a final vote on this solar project expected by the full board later this month.

Efforts to remove Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos were unsuccessful during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday night. However, the board did decide to forward perjury allegations against Nanos to the state attorney general’s office, following intensified scrutiny of his past record and his handling of the Nancy Guthrie case.

Republican board member Steve Christy proposed a motion to declare the sheriff’s office vacant and commence the process of finding a replacement for Nanos. The motion, however, did not receive any support, leading to its failure.

Subsequently, Democrat Rex Scott proposed a motion to refer the perjury allegations against Nanos to the state attorney general’s office, which was approved by the board with a 4-0 vote. Christy chose to abstain from this vote.

“My primary concern with the current situation in the sheriff’s department is the apparent lack of effort by our elected sheriff to mend relationships and rebuild trust within our largest department,” Scott remarked after the vote. “A significant indicator of this is the unanimous no-confidence vote by the Pima County Deputy’s Organization regarding his leadership.”

The board’s actions culminated a tense standoff over accusations that the lead investigator in the Guthrie kidnapping case committed perjury about his previous police record.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos leaves a gym in Tucson, Ariz., on May 9, 2026. (Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)

The developments followed weeks of mounting pressure from within the county’s own leadership, with two supervisors, Christy and Democrat Matt Heinz, pushing to remove the elected sheriff or take formal action against him.

“This is accountability for a guy who has evaded accountability for decades,” Heinz told Fox News Digital last week, calling Nanos a “public safety threat.”

At the center of the controversy are claims Nanos misled officials about his disciplinary history as a Texas police officer in the 1970s and 1980s.

The allegations stem from a deposition in a lawsuit, where Nanos said under oath that he had never been suspended as a law enforcement officer.

Records from El Paso, first obtained by the Arizona Republic and later posted publicly by the county, show he was suspended multiple times and resigned in lieu of termination.

Christy said the sheriff had already missed a deadline to answer questions under oath from the board — escalating the situation.

“He’s already failed that request… so we’re into the next phase,” Christy said, signaling a potential move to vacate the office.

Because the sheriff is an elected official, removing him is legally complicated, though supervisors have pointed to a rarely used Arizona law dating back to the 1800s as a possible path forward.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaks to the media in Catalina, Ariz., on Feb. 3 while answering questions about the search for Nancy Guthrie. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images)

Even without removal, Heinz said the board could still take other actions, including passing a resolution expressing a lack of confidence or referring the allegations for criminal investigation by the state attorney general.

He also noted that a conviction on perjury charges would ultimately force the sheriff from office.

Adding to the tension, both sides have retained outside legal counsel rather than relying on the county attorney’s office, a move Christy said is costing taxpayers additional money.

A Pima County sheriff’s official stands outside Nancy Guthrie’s home in Tucson, Ariz., on Feb. 14, 2026. (Ty O’Neil/AP)

In a written response to the board, Nanos pushed back on the claims, arguing the controversy stems from a misunderstanding, not perjury.

His attorney says the sheriff’s testimony referred only to his Arizona career, noting he was never suspended during his decades with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, though he faced discipline earlier in Texas.

The memo also confirms Nanos resigned from the El Paso Police Department in 1982 rather than accept a proposed suspension following a dispute with a supervisor.

Heinz has disputed that characterization, arguing the record shows Nanos resigned in lieu of termination, not discipline.

The sheriff declined to answer questions in person under oath, instead submitting a notarized statement to the board after the deadline, which Heinz said may still be accepted but does not resolve the underlying concerns.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos exits the press room after giving an update on the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, 84, in Tucson, Ariz., on Feb. 5, 2026. (REUTERS/Rebecca Noble)

The investigation into Guthrie’s Feb. 1 disappearance has now stretched past 100 days with few public breakthroughs.

The case, involving the 84-year-old mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, has drawn national attention and sparked tension between Nanos and the FBI, including a public clash with Director Kash Patel over whether federal agents were initially sidelined.

Heinz has also called on the sheriff to hand over the investigation to federal authorities.

“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “Almost every other jurisdiction would have done so by now.”

More than $1.2 million in reward money is now being offered for information that leads to answers, as her family continues to plead for help.