Savannah Guthrie's Brother-in-Law Tommaso Cioni Cleared 'in the First Few Days' of Nancy's Disappearance Despite Ashleigh Banfield Claiming He Was a 'Suspect'

Savannah Guthrie's family – including spouses – were cleared as suspects early in the search for Nancy Guthrie, according to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.

The sheriff confirmed to local Tucson’s KOLD 13 News on Monday, February 16, that the Guthrie family members were ruled out as suspects within the "first few days" of the investigation and had been "100 percent cooperative" in the search.

“Not one single person in the family is a suspect,” the local sheriff added. “So I am telling everyone, effective today, you guys [media] need to knock it off, quit. People are hurting. They are victims. I am saying they are clear. We have cleared them.”

Hours earlier, the police sheriff confirmed that the NBC anchor and her family were ruled out as persons of interest in the disappearance of the 84-year-old.

“To be clear … the Guthrie family — to include all siblings and spouses — have been cleared as possible suspects in this case. The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case,” Nanos said in a statement shared via X on Monday. “To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel. The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple.”

The local sheriff defended his decision to announce the family wasn't involved in the senior's disappearance, calling it his responsibility to defend them.

“Because sometimes we forget we’re human and we hurt, and kindness matters," he said in a statement on Monday, February 16. "It is every cop’s duty to stand up and be that voice for our victims. I’m not going to sit in silence when others are attacking the innocent. Isn’t that what the badge represents?”

Nancy was last seen on January 31 after having dinner with her eldest daughter, Annie Guthrie, and her husband, Tommaso. She was reported missing the following day after failing to appear at a regular church livestream with friends.

Only days after Nancy's disappearance, NewsNation host Ashleigh Banfield made headlines after reporting that Tommaso was a "prime suspect" in the case. At the time, she claimed she had a source in law enforcement and has stood by her reporting.

Local police are still investigating a possible motive in the case, with the sheriff believing it was a kidnapping rather than a failed burglary.

“This is somebody who’s disappeared from the face of the earth, and now we have a camera that says here’s the person who did this,” he told the Daily Mail on February 16, referring to footage of the suspect released by the FBI last week.

He continued, “And that’s what makes me say this is a kidnapping. The motivation for it is where we get stuck, right? Is it for money? I mean, we had the one demand where they asked for money. But is it really for money, or is it for revenge for something?”