Nancy Guthrie case: Sheriff says no one is permanently ruled out as detained man prepares lawsuit

TUCSON, Ariz. — Shortly before a man once detained in the Nancy Guthrie investigation submitted a $3.25 million notice of claim against authorities, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos defended the evidence that led investigators to him, saying a judge signed off on the probable cause supporting the warrant and that investigators haven't definitively ruled anyone out.

Nanos: "From what we have in front of us, the evidence, the DNA, the whatever, the videos. Yeah, I think you can eliminate them." He added: "because you're eliminated doesn't mean you didn't do it. It doesn't mean that we can't get more information."

Nanos on the warrants: "We had information that made us believe that there's a potential that Nancy's there..." and "...or there's a potential the bad guy's there." / "That evidence is presented to the judge that says, 'Yep, go get him.'"

Nanos on released detainees: "We go in, oh, now we look at it and go, 'all right, she's not here.' That was evident. That was No. 1. And we've talked to these individuals, and they've given us an alibi, if you will, or whatever, to say, 'Hey. We feel comfortable in letting them go and not charging them.'"

"No suspect has been publicly identified in connection with Guthrie's Feb. 1 abduction."

"We're not even close to these leads being dried up. We'll continue to work them."

"We believe, just as the family does, just as Savannah does, somebody knows something. We need that person to call us."