Aaron Cross, who serves as the president of the Pima County Deputies Organization, was not directly involved in the investigation. Nevertheless, he indicated that his role in representing Pima County sheriff’s deputies provided him with insights into the investigation’s conduct.
Cross noted that the sergeant initially tasked with leading the investigation into Guthrie’s case lacked any previous homicide experience, having only been promoted to sergeant in 2023. This officer had transitioned “very rapidly” from patrol duties to a homicide role before assuming leadership of the case, according to Cross, as reported by TMZ.
Cross further claimed that the department had recently lost its two “most senior” homicide detectives due to their reassignment out of the division. Although the detectives working on Guthrie’s case possessed some homicide experience, Cross stated that they had three years or less in the field.
Describing these investigators as “novice” homicide detectives, Cross remarked that it was “almost unheard of” for detectives with such limited experience to handle a case of this magnitude.
