Nancy Guthrie Investigation: Former FBI Agent Calls Out Sheriff for 'Complicated' Statement Regarding Missing Mom's Disappearance

The man leading the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance reiterated last week that he believes the 84-year-old is the victim of a "targeted kidnapping."

However, Arizona Sheriff Chris Nanos also admitted that the suspect could strike again, telling NBC News' Liz Kreutz on Thursday, March 12, that "it would be silly to tell people, 'Yeah, don't worry about it, you're not his target.'"

Former FBI agent Jason Pack subsequently criticized the sheriff's remarks, calling his statement "complicated" in an interview with an outlet published the following day.

"From my experience as a crisis communications practitioner, where it gets complicated is when, in that same interview, he suggests the suspect could strike again," Jason told Page Six. "Once you put that out there, every person watching wants to know who’s at risk and what they ought to do about it."

He continued, "If you can’t answer those questions, you probably shouldn’t lead with that statement. A warning without context doesn’t necessarily protect people. It worries them. And it sits a little uneasily alongside the 'targeted attack' framing he’s also offered.”

"Those two ideas need to fit together before they go out the door," the expert added. "I just think a little more discipline at the podium, coordinated closely with FBI leadership, would serve everyone better as this moves forward."

Jason did commend the sheriff for not revealing why investigators think Nancy was "targeted." Chris refused to gives details, citing the "integrity of the investigation."

"When the sheriff says investigators believe they know the motive but won’t share it, there’s an investigative reason," he explained, adding, "This is it. You don’t hand the suspect a roadmap of what you know. I have no quarrel with that."

Today show star Savannah Guthrie's mom notably vanished from her Tucson, Ariz., home in the early hours of February 1. The retiree's blood was found at the scene and a masked suspect was captured on her Nest doorbell camera around the time she disappeared.

Jason's remarks come as Chris continues to face criticism over his handling of the investigation.

The Pima County sheriff has been accused of releasing the crime scene too soon and leaving it unsecured, refusing to give the FBI access to key evidence and giving contradictory statements about the search.

A former colleague also recently slammed Chris' lack of communication skills and revealed the police department questioned his ability to lead.

During an appearance on the "Surviving the Survivor" podcast earlier this month, retired SWAT commander Bob Krygier divulged that a "morale poll [taken] a couple of years ago" showed the majority of the department had no faith in Chris.

Then, speaking about the sheriff's Today interview a day prior, in which he claimed they were "definitely closer" to solving the case, he declared, "I wouldn’t put it past him to be on that semantics train."

"He is not the best one to deliver those messages most times," Bob said of his former boss. "He gets wrapped up in his thoughts, he gets emotional. Even if he’s not getting pushback, he sometimes just repeats himself over and over."