Savannah Guthrie Furious Over Brother-in-Law Suspect Report

The Today co-anchor is reportedly livid that a media report named her sister's husband as a possible prime suspect in the Nancy Guthrie investigation.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 2:49pm

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Savannah Guthrie, the co-anchor of the Today show, is said to be furious that journalist Ashleigh Banfield reported that Tommaso Cioni, the husband of Savannah's sister Annie and Savannah's brother-in-law, may be a prime suspect in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of their mother, Nancy Guthrie. Banfield cited a law enforcement source for the claim, which Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos later disputed, stating that they did not have any suspects in the case.

Why it matters

The report about Savannah's brother-in-law being a suspect has reportedly angered the Today co-anchor, who is said to genuinely not believe her sister or brother-in-law were involved. The case has garnered significant media attention, and Nanos warned the media to be careful about making such claims, as they could potentially damage the investigation and the individuals involved.

The details

Ashleigh Banfield made the claim that Tommaso Cioni may be a prime suspect in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case on the February 3 episode of her podcast, Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield. This came just two days after Nancy, Savannah's mother, was reported missing from her home near Tucson, Arizona. Savannah's former NBC News colleague, Megyn Kelly, confirmed that Savannah is 'livid' about the report and does not believe her sister or brother-in-law were involved.

  • On February 3, 2026, Ashleigh Banfield reported that Tommaso Cioni may be a prime suspect in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case.
  • Two days after Banfield's report, on February 5, 2026, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos stated that his department did not have any suspects listed in the case.

The players

Savannah Guthrie

The co-anchor of the Today show and the daughter of Nancy Guthrie.

Ashleigh Banfield

A journalist who reported that Tommaso Cioni, Savannah's brother-in-law, may be a prime suspect in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case.

Tommaso Cioni

The husband of Annie Guthrie, Savannah's sister, and Savannah's brother-in-law.

Chris Nanos

The Pima County Sheriff who stated that his department did not have any suspects listed in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case.

Megyn Kelly

A former NBC News colleague of Savannah Guthrie who confirmed that Savannah is 'livid' about the report naming her brother-in-law as a suspect.

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What they’re saying

“I have not been able to confirm that the Guthrie family wants to sue Ashleigh Banfield, but I have confirmed that Savannah is livid about that report and definitely does not suspect her sister or her brother-in-law.”

— Megyn Kelly (The Megyn Kelly Show on SiriusXM)

“Can you blame her? I mean, of course, she loves her sister, I'm sure she loves her brother-in-law, and I'm sure she genuinely doesn't believe they had anything to do with it. All of us are in a different boat — you know, we have to be more objective in assessing the possible suspects, the possible people connected with it, and law enforcement certainly does.”

— Megyn Kelly (The Megyn Kelly Show on SiriusXM)

“Nobody's eliminated, but we just really don't have enough to say, 'This is our suspect, this is our guy, we know — or our gal.' We don't know that. And it's really kind of reckless to report that someone is a suspect when they could very well be a victim. … To the media, I plead with you to be careful of what it is we put out there, because we don't have anybody here listed as a suspect, and you could actually be doing some damage to the case — but you can do some damage to that individual, too. Social media is kind of an ugly world sometimes.”

— Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (The Hollywood Reporter)

The takeaway

This case highlights the delicate balance the media must strike when reporting on ongoing investigations, as making unsubstantiated claims about potential suspects can not only damage the investigation but also unfairly implicate innocent individuals. The Pima County Sheriff's warning underscores the need for responsible and ethical journalism, especially when dealing with sensitive cases involving missing persons.