It’s been almost two weeks since Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from Arizona, USA. The 84-year-old woman was last seen on January 31 at her residence before her disappearance. While authorities have yet to track down the octogenarian, her son-in-law Tommaso Cioni, who is married to Guthrie’s daughter Annie, is now in the spotlight.
On Thursday (local time), FBI Director Kash Patel released some new details about the case and increased the reward up to $100,000 for information leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. In the FBI post, Phoenix also shared some details about the suspect, who is said to be 5’9″-5’10” tall with an average build. In the video, he is wearing a black, 25 liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack”. The department also shared an image of a masked man, further fueling speculation.
Is Cioni a suspect?
While Nancy Guthrie’s son-in-law has not yet been named as a suspect, he has been drawn into the center of online speculation, with social media users now focusing on his height. This development comes after News Nation journalist, Ashleigh Banfield reported on the possibility that he is a suspect. While authorities later dismissed her claims, it was later revealed that Cioni was allegedly the last person to meet Nancy Guthrie before her disappearance. He allegedly dropped her off at home after she had dinner with Cioni’s wife and her daughter Annie.
When the FBI released a picture of the suspect, many questioned whether the said description matched Cioni. Several users on X began posting “how tall is Nancy Guthrie’s son-in-law” after sharing the description.
While one user, who is an investigative reporter, shared a picture of Cioni and wrote that he is much taller than the height listed by the federal agency, another user claimed, “He is 1000% Tommaso Cioni. Same build and facial hair (beard and mustache). Male, between 5’10 – 6’0, 230 pounds and thicker hands. Stronger hands.”
The Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping: What We Know So Far
According to a report in The Sunday Guardian, the doorbell camera outside Nancy Guthrie’s home in Arizona was deactivated at 1:47 am. Almost 40 minutes later, she went missing and her pacemaker lost its Bluetooth connection to her mobile phone, indicating she had been taken from her residence.
According to NBC News, Pima County Sheriff’s Department deputies raided a property in Rio Rico on Tuesday night and arrested a man. Rio Rico is a community located 60 miles south of Tucson. On Thursday (local time), the sheriff said they found blood on the front porch of her home that tested positive for her DNA. But officials declined to say whether her residence showed signs of forced entry.
In the last week, at least three media outlets have received possible ransom notes referencing Guthrie.
Guthrie’s daughter and “Today” co-host Savannah posted a video on her Instagram page asking the public to help and pleading for her mother’s return.