Savannah Guthrie’s brother-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, draws focus in Nancy Guthrie case

As investigators press ahead in the search for Nancy Guthrie, attention has widened beyond the Tucson-area home where the 84-year-old was believed taken overnight. One reason: her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni—also the brother-in-law of television host Savannah Guthrie—was the last known person to see her before she vanished.

Cioni has not been publicly named as a suspect, and authorities have not announced charges against him. Still, his proximity to the final confirmed sighting and the scope of the investigation around his household have made him a focal point for public questions, online speculation, and intensified law-enforcement activity.

Who Tommaso Cioni is and why he matters

Cioni is married to Savannah Guthrie’s sister, Annie Guthrie. The connection moved into the spotlight after officials confirmed that Nancy Guthrie spent the evening of Saturday, Jan. 31 with Annie and Cioni before returning home later that night.

Investigators have described Nancy Guthrie as medically vulnerable and in need of daily medication. That urgency has driven a fast-moving probe, and it has also amplified scrutiny of everyone involved in the last known hours before she disappeared.

The last confirmed sighting, in Eastern Time

Authorities have said Nancy Guthrie arrived at Annie and Cioni’s home in the early evening and later went back to her own house. In the timeline described by investigators, Cioni drove her home and waited until she was inside before leaving.

Key timing points cited publicly (Arizona local time is typically two hours behind Eastern Time in early February):

• Around 11:48 p.m. ET, Jan. 31: Nancy Guthrie is dropped off at home after dinner.

• Around 3:47 a.m. ET, Feb. 1: a doorbell camera connection is disrupted.

• Around 4:28 a.m. ET, Feb. 1: a heart-device app linked to her phone shows a disconnect.

Investigators have said the overnight window is consistent with a forced abduction. They have also said blood found at the home was confirmed to be Nancy Guthrie’s.

Searches near Annie and Cioni’s home expand the footprint

In the days after Nancy Guthrie was reported missing, law enforcement activity extended beyond the original scene. Deputies and federal agents were seen canvassing the neighborhood where Annie Guthrie and Cioni live, speaking with residents and seeking home-surveillance footage.

Officials have not publicly detailed what prompted those steps or what, if anything, was recovered. They also have not said whether the searches were routine canvassing, tied to a specific lead, or aimed at ruling out possibilities. The visible activity, however, put Cioni’s name into wider circulation, especially as the case drew national attention.

Online speculation rises, but official claims remain limited

After investigators released recovered images and video showing a masked person tampering with a doorbell camera overnight, some online commentary tried to link the figure to individuals close to the family. Authorities have not identified the person shown in the footage and have not tied Cioni to the images.

Investigators have emphasized the value of public tips that are specific and verifiable—such as recognition of clothing, mannerisms, or vehicles—rather than broader conjecture. As of Tuesday and Wednesday, no official description has included an identity, and no public charging documents have connected the masked figure to anyone in the family.

What is confirmed about Cioni right now

Here is what has been stated publicly by investigators or in official briefings:

• Cioni is Nancy Guthrie’s son-in-law and Savannah Guthrie’s brother-in-law.

• He and Annie Guthrie hosted Nancy Guthrie for dinner on Jan. 31.

• Cioni dropped Nancy Guthrie at her home later that night and waited until she entered.

• Authorities have not publicly named Cioni as a suspect and have not announced charges against him.

• Investigators have expanded searches and canvassing to areas beyond Nancy Guthrie’s home, including the neighborhood of her daughter Annie.

With the investigation still active, the next likely inflection points are straightforward: identification of the masked figure, confirmation of any credible ransom-related communications, and any arrest or charging decision tied to evidence rather than inference. Until then, Cioni’s role in the public narrative remains defined mainly by one fact—he was part of the last confirmed sighting—while the legal and investigative picture stays, for now, unresolved.

Sources consulted: Reuters; CBS News; FBI; Pima County Sheriff’s Department