Savannah Guthrie's Family Weighs Taking Legal Action After Being 'Dragged Through the Mud' in Missing Nancy Investigation — 'They Are Victims in This Case'
Legal action is reportedly looming after Nancy Guthrie's son-in-law was incorrectly named as a suspect.
Feb. 17 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Legal fireworks may be on the horizon for Savannah Guthrie's family after her now-cleared brother-in-law was reportedly branded a "prime suspect" in the shocking abduction of her mother, Nancy, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Journalist Ashleigh Banfield alleged an "impeccable" source told her investigators had zeroed in on Tommaso Cioni during the early stages of the probe. But after the Pima County Sheriff's Department publicly and unequivocally cleared his name, insiders say the family is weighing its options – and a lawsuit could soon follow over the explosive allegation.
'Legal Action Looms'
All members of Nancy Guthrie's family and their spouses have been cleared as possible suspects.
"People took proximity and turned it into a conspiracy," a media source told Hollywood insider Rob Shuter, who wrote about it on Substack. "That's not journalism. That’s dangerous."
After the immediate Guthrie family and all relatives were cleared in Nancy's disappearance, a second insider said possible legal action is on the horizon.
"Clearing someone quietly doesn't undo loud damage," another source noted about how Cioni ended up under a microscope. "If you questioned him publicly, you should clear him publicly. Legal action looms."
Nancy has been missing for 16 days now, and while the Guthries remain broken yet publicly hopeful that she will be found alive, the insider noted, "They're devastated...And they’re innocent."
Guthrie Family Was 'Nothing But Cooperative and Gracious' With Investigators
Nancy Guthrie's final appearance on social media was in a Christmas 2025 photo with her daughters and sons-in-law.
"To be clear ... the Guthrie family – to include all siblings and spouses – has been cleared as possible suspects," Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in a powerful statement on February 16, 12 days after Banfield's initial report about Cioni being a "suspect."
He continued, "The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case."
Nanos went on to scold the media over reports about Cioni's alleged involvement, saying, "To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel. The Guthrie family is victims plain and simple ... please, I'm begging you, the media to honor your profession and report with some sense of compassion and professionalism."
Tommaso Cioni's 'Name Was Dragged Through the Mud'
Tomasso Cioni and Annie Guthrie had dinner with her mom, Nancy, hours before she was abducted.
"Tommaso deserves a public apology,” one source said to Shuter. "His name was dragged through the mud for absolutely no reason."
Hours after Banfield's report on February 4, Nanos confirmed to the New York Times that Cioni, not his wife, Annie Guthrie, as previous reports indicated, had dropped Nancy off at her Tucson, Arizona home on January 31. Nancy had dinner at the couple's house that evening before vanishing without a trace hours after returning home.
Nanos later backtracked on his claim to the publication, saying a "relative" drove Nancy home and refusing to specify whether it was Annie or Cioni, which only further confused matters as to who was the last person to see her before her horrific kidnapping.
Ashleigh Banfield Stands by Her Reporting About Tommaso Cioni
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Ashleigh Banfield stood by her source's claim that Nancy Guthrie's son-in-law may be a 'prime suspect' in her disappearance.
Banfield stood by her source's claim about Cioni, saying during a February 12 appearance on Dan Abrams' SiriusXM show, saying "Nothing's changed. Nothing's changed," about him being a "prime suspect."
"But I will say this: the day after I did that report, my source said, 'things have really tightened up,'" she went on to reveal.
The former NBC News correspondent boldly told Abrams, "The folks in the Sheriff’s Department are worried about retaliation because of the leak. And I thought to myself, 'Well, if it’s not true, there wouldn’t be any worry,' you know? And then on the third day, he said, 'What I can tell you is: when they take shots at you, you’re standing on the target.'"
