Reports suggesting that Nancy Guthrie’s son-in-law is a suspect in the kidnapping of her 84-year-old mother have been denied by investigators. Savannah Guthrie, a star on NBC’s Today, was reportedly the last person seen alive with her mother.
On Tuesday, former NewsNation host Ashley Banfield stated that her “impeccable” sources indicated that police might be viewing her brother-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, as the “prime suspect” regarding Guthrie’s disappearance from her upscale home near Tucson, Arizona.
Banfield mentioned on the podcast drop dead serious that sources close to Savannah claimed authorities had “towed and impounded” Annie’s car, Savannah’s sister and Cioni’s spouse.
clock:
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office released a statement saying, “We have not identified any suspects or persons of interest in this incident.” They added that detectives are interviewing anyone who may have interacted with Mrs. Guthrie and are awaiting more forensic results.
Additionally, the Security Bureau informed TMZ, “There’s no confirmation that the car was seized. It’s unclear where that information originated.”
“Spreading unverified claims and misinformation is irresponsible and won’t help the investigation,” stated the sheriff’s office.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos had previously confirmed that Annie was the last person to see her mother, according to an online magazine titled “Parade.”
“On Saturday night, they had dinner together, after which Annie drove Nancy home. It’s not clear if that dinner included Tommaso Cioni,” Parade reported.
Guthrie’s case quickly became a topic of discussion across news and social media after her family reported that she failed to attend Sunday church services.
Various news outlets noted the discovery of blood droplets near the steps of the house. While Guthrie has limited athletic ability, she reportedly remains in good mental health and has appeared occasionally on her daughter’s TV program, Today.
Unconfirmed notes suggesting a ransom surfaced in newsrooms like TMZ and a local CBS station in Tucson, as reported by USA Today. The FBI is said to be assisting with the investigation.
Speculation about Nancy Guthrie’s missing person case among TV criminologists and social media users ranges from the notion that her prominence made her a target for kidnapping to the theory that the abduction was orchestrated by someone familiar with the family.
Throughout the speculation, Banfield emphasized journalistic integrity by attributing contentious claims about Cioni and the car solely to her anonymous sources, clarifying that some comments were merely “speculation, not evidence.”
She also mentioned that it’s standard procedure for police to investigate family members in such situations.
Veteran crime writer Lowell Cauffiel is a bestselling author known for true crime books.
