Why Savannah’s Sister & Brother-in-Law Are Actually ‘Laying Low’ After Report They ‘Haven’t Been Seen for Weeks’ Amid Nancy Abduction
When Savannah Guthrie’s mom disappeared, one of the first people the collective internet looked into was her sister, Annie, and her sister’s husband, Tommaso Cioni. Part of that was that the two were the last to see Nancy Guthrie alive. The other part is that, well, people always like to play true crime detective with situations like this one; it’s easy to look at family as the first suspects.
But Savannah’s sister Annie and her husband Tommaso have been lying low for the past few weeks, and the reason makes sense. Jennifer Coffindaffer, a former FBI agent, shared on a post on X on Thursday, May 14, her reasoning why the two “haven’t been seen for weeks.”
Related: Who are Savannah Guthrie’s siblings?
“Why are they laying low?” Coffindaffer asked. “Obvious concern over ridicule I believe, but also perhaps this: Defamation suits.”
The couple has seen an uptick in public interest since so-called internet sleuths decided they were people of interest in the case. And according to Coffindaffer, they might be planning to take matters into their own hands. “In most states, including Arizona, one has to prove that a falsehood was made, such as being accused of a crime, and that the person(s) suffered damage,” she said.
And there’s no doubt the two have been affected, according to Coffindaffer. They have faced “public ridicule and accusations, not that they killed a stranger, but worse, that they abducted/killed their mother.” She went on to mention the possible effect these accusations could have had on their son, Pietro.
Then there’s the fact that Cioni, who is a 6th-grade biology teacher, is no longer listed as a teacher for the current school year. This proves his job might have been affected because of the allegations. “Perhaps he has taken leave or perhaps the school is concerned about listing his name since millions remain convinced he abducted his mother-in-law of 20 years. Either way, this action indicates damage to Tomasso,” she said.
“The bottom line is the entirety of how they have been damaged will be considered if a suit is lodged against those indicating they are responsible for what happened to Nancy, if as LE has said, they had nothing to do with the crime,” Coffindaffer explained.
“As I see it, their low profile, lack of band appearances, possible affects on work income, and what their child may be going through would all be part of such a suit in terms of damages. Is Annie & Tomasso laying low actually a beacon as to how damaged they are and an indication of their plans to come?”
Nancy Guthrie was abducted sometime in the early hours of February 1 by a masked assailant. It’s been over three months since her disappearance, and so far, no suspect has been identified, and no motive has been disclosed. The reward for information on her disappearance is over $1 million at this point.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos made it clear early in the investigation that the family was not involved in what happened: “The Guthrie family, to include all siblings and spouses, has been cleared as possible suspects,” Nanos said in a February press conference. “The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case. To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel.”
