Man detained in Guthrie case files notice of claim against Pima County Sheriff's Department

Carlos Palazuelos and two relatives have filed a notice of claim seeking $3.25 million from Pima County over their treatment during the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.

The claim, filed by the Phoenix law firm Robbins Curtin Millea & Showalter, names the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff Chris Nanos and Detective Earl Gieron. Palazuelos is seeking $2.5 million after he says deputies arrested him at gunpoint on Feb. 10, 2026, and held him for about seven to eight hours without charges.

The claim says Daniel Maddox was handcuffed and held under armed guard outside his family’s Rio Rico home. He is seeking $500,000. Josefina Maddox, the homeowner, is seeking $250,000 over alleged damage caused during a search.

The filing alleges deputies lacked probable cause and used false or baseless information to obtain a search warrant. It also says public statements identifying Palazuelos as a person of interest harmed his reputation. The family is asking the sheriff’s department to acknowledge that Palazuelos was not a suspect or investigative lead and to accept responsibility. Under Arizona law, the settlement offers must remain open for 60 days before they can be considered rejected.