In a tense press conference held on Thursday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos directly addressed the escalating investigation into the mysterious disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of prominent Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie. The sheriff was pressed on whether Nancy's son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, is officially considered a suspect.
"Everybody's Still a Suspect"
Sheriff Nanos declined to single out any individual, adopting a deliberately broad investigative stance. "We're actively looking at everybody we come across in this case. Everybody," Nanos asserted. "It would be irresponsible if we didn't talk to everybody. The Uber driver, the gardener, the pool person, whoever, everybody. It's so cliché, but everybody's still a suspect in our eyes. That's just how we look at things and think as cops."
This statement represents a shift from earlier reports. Initially, authorities believed Cioni—who is married to Savannah Guthrie's sister, Annie—was the last person to see Nancy alive after driving her home from a family gathering. However, Sheriff Nanos walked back that specific assertion on Thursday, clarifying only that Nancy had been dropped off at her Tucson home by "family" around 9:48 PM on Saturday night.
Critical Timeline and Evidence
New technical details revealed by the sheriff paint a troubling picture of the early hours of Sunday morning. The doorbell camera at Nancy Guthrie's $1 million Tucson residence was disconnected at 1:47 AM Mountain Time. At 2:12 AM, the camera's software detected a person's presence but failed to record because its subscription service was inactive.
More ominously, Nancy Guthrie's pacemaker disconnected from her paired phone at 2:28 AM. This medical device had previously been reported to have stopped syncing with her Apple Watch, potentially indicating she was moved out of its Bluetooth range. Sheriff Nanos reiterated his grave concern, noting Nancy requires vital medication and that depriving her of it could prove fatal.
Ransom Note and Family Pleas
Adding to the case's urgency, the FBI disclosed during the conference that an unverified ransom note received earlier in the week had set a deadline for 5 PM on Thursday evening, with a secondary deadline extending to Monday. The authorities did not confirm the note's authenticity or its contents.
The Guthrie family has been publicly pleading for Nancy's safe return. In an emotional video released Wednesday night, Savannah Guthrie appeared alongside her siblings Annie and Camron. Savannah expressed the family's willingness to engage with any kidnappers but demanded concrete proof that her mother is still alive.
Focus on Tommaso Cioni
Tommaso Cioni, an Italian-born teacher married to Annie Guthrie since 2006, has yet to make any public statement regarding his mother-in-law's disappearance. He was photographed leaving the $650,000 home he shares with his wife on Tuesday evening, with both attempting to shield their faces from the media.
When pressed on whether Cioni or anyone else had been ruled out, Sheriff Nanos was unequivocal. "You know we've talked to so many, I'm sure my investigators have feelings that 'this one's clear, this one isn't', but I wouldn't say anybody's ruled out yet because what if I rule you out and then later I learn something else. So, no." He explicitly confirmed that investigators have not yet identified a formal suspect or person of interest.
The investigation remains wide open. Sheriff Nanos concluded the conference by expressing his hope that Nancy Guthrie is still alive, as law enforcement continues to pursue every possible lead in this deeply concerning disappearance.
