TRUE CRIME NEWSNancy Guthrie Case: Suspect Used Her Flowerpots to Keep the Doors and Gates Propped Open, Claims Ashleigh Banfield
True crime podcaster Ashleigh Banfield claimed that Nancy Guthrie's own flowerpots were used by the suspect to prop open doors.
March 31 2026, Published 1:44 p.m. ET
In her reporting on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, true crime podcaster Ashleigh Banfield stated that, according to her sources, two back doors and a back gate at the victim's home were allegedly propped open with flower pots.
New details shared by Ashleigh on her “Drop Dead Serious” podcast on Day 58 of the investigation focused on the back patio entry into the kitchen. Sources claimed two doors were found propped open with flower pots, and a back gate was secured in the same manner.
Ashleigh previously emphasized that her sources described the back door as "wide open," rather than just unlocked.
Ashleigh Banfield reported on the investigation.
She pointed to Savannah’s Today show interview with Hoda Kotb in which she revealed that two doors were left open.
“She said it two different times in the interview. Back doors propped open,” the podcast host recounted. “Well, this sounded very different than the source that I had. Back door wide open on day three. I've had two subsequent law enforcement sources since that have confirmed back door wide open.”
Fixated on these doors, Ashleigh revealed that the suspect had intentionally held them open.
“So, that's one big earth-shattering piece of information that I was able to determine after talking to several sources in law enforcement,” she added. “Another detail that really floored me was that the perpetrator used Nancy’s flower pots to do this. He took her beautiful flower pots, and he propped open that screen door.”
Savannah Guthrie's mom has been missing since February 1.
That detail particularly perturbed Banfield, who added, “You know, it's just so frustrating to think that filthy, vile beast deflowered that kitchen, that entrance, that family home. But he did. My sources say that's where he got his entry.”
A "very high-level source" also told Ashleigh that multiple security cameras and lights at the home had been smashed.
“So, this guy was stalking Nancy and stalking the house and finding where the back door was unlocked and finding where the spotlights needed to be knocked off, you know, and and and smashed,” she said.
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Nancy Guthrie was allegedly taken from her home in Arizona.
Ashleigh reported that a law enforcement source identified Nancy's son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, as the "prime suspect" in her kidnapping.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department has strongly disputed these reports, stating that it has not officially identified any person of interest or suspect and that all family members, including Cioni, were eventually cleared.
Following these claims, Savannah and her family reportedly considered legal action against Ashleigh.
The Guthrie family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her return.
Investigators are currently analyzing DNA mixtures recovered from Nancy’s home.
The Guthrie family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her return, bringing the total reward pool to roughly $1.2 million when combined with FBI and 88-CRIME incentives.
Savannah stated the family is "blowing on the embers of hope" that Nancy is still alive, while acknowledging the possibility that she "may already be gone."
