Savannah Guthrie’s Mom’s Abduction Case Gets Major Legal Action Update After ‘Real Harm’ Was Done in Her Family’s ‘Nightmare’
The case of Savannah Guthrie’s mom’s abduction has come with the predictable amount of media attention. And that has, of course, been very hard on the Guthrie family. But perhaps one of the hardest things has been the speculation leveled at Tommaso Cioni, the husband of Annie Guthrie, Savannah’s sister.
When it was first reported that Nancy Guthrie wasn’t just missing but had been abducted, the police were clear that they had no credible leads. But not soon after, TV host Ashleigh Banfield claimed on her Drop Dead Serious podcast that investigators had seized and impounded a car belonging to Savannah’s sister, Annie Guthrie, claiming it had a “connection” to a man named Tommaso Cioni, her husband.
Related: Who are Savannah Guthrie’s siblings?
But that wasn’t all, Banfield went on to say that Cioni was being treated as a central figure in the investigation, though she made sure to say these were “musings and not evidence.”
However, the family was not pleased, according to Rob Shuter. “You can’t float accusations like that and hide behind disclaimers,” one source close to the family said. “This dragged innocent people into a nightmare.”
Law enforcement vehemently denied the claims. “At this point, investigators have not identified a suspect or person of interest in this case. Detectives continue to speak with anyone who may have had contact with Mrs. Guthrie,” Nanos said in a statement on Wednesday, February 4. “Detectives are working closely with the Guthrie family. While we appreciate the public’s concern, the sharing of unverified accusations or false information is irresponsible and does not assist the investigation. No suspect or person of interest has been identified at this time.”
That statement left the family reported considering legal action against Banfield. “That statement changed everything,” an insider explained. “Once police publicly pushed back, the family felt real harm had been done.”
No lawsuit has been filed yet as the family’s focus is elsewhere, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. For now, the focus remains firmly on Nancy Guthrie, who has been missing since Saturday, January 31, 2026. She had dinner with her daughter Annie that night, and was reported missing by her family the next day when she didn’t show up for church.
Savannah Guthrie has been absent from the Today show since February 2, and won’t be present at the Olympics Opening Ceremony which she was slated to co-host. She and her siblings posted an Instagram video with a plea to Nancy’s potential abductors.
In the video she expressed concern over her mother’s health “She is 84 years old,” she said. “Her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer.”
She ended the video with a message to her mother, “Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are God’s precious daughter, Nancy. We believe and know that even in this valley He is with you. Everyone is looking for you mommy, everywhere. We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again. We speak to you every moment and we pray without ceasing and we rejoice in advance for the day that we hold you in our arms again. We love you.” She captioned the post, “Bring her home.”
