Nancy Guthrie's son-in-law disappears from public view as quirk in the law could mean his home is being searched without consent
Nancy Guthrie's son-in-law hasn't been seen in a week, but police and the FBI are able to search his home without his consent, even without a warrant.
Tommaso Cioni was said to be one of the last people to see the missing mother of NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie before she disappeared in the early hours of February 1.
He and his wife, the Today host's sister, Annie Guthrie, live in a sprawling $675,000 ranch-style house about four miles from Nancy's home in Tucson, Arizona.
Annie has been a constant presence, appearing with her siblings, including brother Camron, in videos pleading with Nancy's kidnappers to bring her back unharmed.
She was with Savannah when she appealed for more information on Tuesday and shared horrifying new footage showing a masked figure wearing latex gloves outside Nancy's door on the night she vanished.
Only hours later, police detained a man in Rio Rico for questioning during a traffic stop. On Wednesday morning, the man was released.
But Cioni, 50, has not been seen since the Daily Mail spotted him and Annie leaving and returning to their home on February 3.
The Italian schoolteacher is believed to be holed up with his wife and her siblings in a $1.2 million mansion nearby inside a gated, residents-only compound away from prying eyes.
Despite his absence, Pima County Sheriff's deputies have searched Cioni's home multiple times, including a nighttime examination on Saturday.
Every member of the Guthrie family - including Cioni - was cleared as a potential suspect on February 16.
Annie was spotted at the home supervising officers as they again rummaged through the home, but Cioni was not seen.
However, police do not need his permission to search the house, even without a warrant, so long as Annie is there to allow them access.
Two US Supreme Court cases ruled that police can search a shared home - such as a marital residence - if one of its occupants is there and consents.
If another resident was present when police arrived to conduct a search and refused access, officers would have to return with a warrant.
This was determined in the Georgia v Randolph case in 2006 when a couple disagreed about allowing police access to their home.
But if the other resident was not physically present, their refusal would not prevent another occupant from letting the police inside.
A second case in 2014, Fernandez v California, decided this rule after a woman who was beaten in a domestic violence attack allowed police to search their shared apartment.
Her boyfriend refused police access when they first arrived, but was in custody when officers returned to conduct a search.
Pima County and federal records do not show any applications for warrants to search Annie and Cioni's property, indicating they were given permission.
Whether Cioni objected to police searching the house he shares with Annie is unknown, and he may have already told police they could look inside whenever they wanted.
Cioni and Annie have been married since 2006 and have one young child.
'Many of you observed an active law enforcement presence at the Guthrie residences over the weekend,' police said on Monday,
This was after investigators were seen searching Annie's home, including taking photographs inside the property for several hours, though it is unclear what, if any, evidence had been collected.
Drone footage was also released showing investigators removing a floodlight from Nancy’s home amid revelations that a ransom note specifically referenced the fixture.
A security camera was also removed from the exterior of the property on Monday.
Such activity is now expected to continue through Tuesday, the sheriff's department said.
Last week, the Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos, said he had not ruled out Cioni or anyone else as a suspect in his investigation into the kidnapping of Nancy.
Breaking, PAM BONDI discloses that she has been diagnosed with…
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Steve Yates discusses Pam Bondi's contributions after her removal as attorney general
Steve Yates, former deputy national security advisor for Vice President Cheney, reflects on Attorney General Pam Bondi's significant contributions, especially in fighting illicit fentanyl and advocating for victims.
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Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after departing the Department of Justice last month, according to a report.
Bondi, 60, who left her role at the Justice Department in early April, underwent treatment and is recovering, a source told Axios.
Katie Miller, a former White House staffer and podcast host who is married to White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, reposted the report on X on Tuesday.
"Pam has been quietly kicking cancer's ass the last few weeks," she wrote.
PAM BONDI CANCELS APPEARANCE AT ANTI-TRAFFICKING SUMMIT OVER MEDICAL ISSUE
Attorney General Pam Bondi takes her seat before testifying at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Justice on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 11, 2026. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP)
She added that Bondi has "a heart of gold."
Axios disclosed the health update while reporting that Bondi has been appointed by President Donald Trump to an advisory committee focused on artificial intelligence policy.
The White House confirmed to Fox News Digital that Bondi will serve on the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
"Pam has been an enormously valuable asset to the president's team, and I'm thrilled for her and for all of us that she's going to remain involved in confronting some of the most important issues the administration faces," Vice President JD Vance said in a statement.
AG PAM BONDI SUGGESTS TRUMP'S CRIME CRACKDOWN IN DC WILL HELP LATINO RESIDENTS
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 7, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The council is co-chaired by White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks and White House science advisor Michael Kratsios.
Bondi will reportedly help facilitate coordination between the federal government and technology executives serving on the panel.
News of Bondi’s diagnosis and new advisory role comes weeks after Trump removed her as attorney general.
KARL ROVE: TRUMP DROPPED BONDI, BUT THE REAL POLITICAL FIGHT IS JUST BEGINNING
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche attends a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 19, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
In a Truth Social post announcing her departure, Trump described Bondi as "a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend."
"Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country, with Murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900," Trump wrote. "We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future."
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has served as acting attorney general since Bondi’s departure.
BLANCHE INVOKES TRUMP ‘LOVE’ WHEN ASKED ABOUT STAYING ON AFTER BONDI
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks as President Donald Trump looks on during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House on Oct. 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
In a post on X confirming her exit from the Justice Department, Bondi said she remains "eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again."
"Over the next month I will be working tirelessly to transition the office of Attorney General to the amazing Todd Blanche before moving to an important private sector role I am thrilled about, and where I will continue fighting for President Trump and this Administration," Bondi wrote.
"Leading President Trump’s historic and highly successful efforts to make America safer and more secure has been the honor of a lifetime, and easily the most consequential first year of the Department of Justice in American history."
Judge Tosses Wolff Suit, Clearing Path For $1B Melania Claim
Wolff filed suit against Trump seeking to block her from suing him for $1 billion for alleged defamatory claims he made regarding her association with Jeffrey Epstein.
“It’s an inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship,” said Manhattan Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, an appointee of President Donald Trump.
Vyskocil said she would not be “drafted to oversee an abusively presented spat,” yet she recognized that both sides have a “real dispute.”
Last year, the first lady’s lawyer issued Wolff a letter demanding he delete the statements he made about Trump and threatening that she would have “no alternative” but to sue him if he didn’t.
That spurred him to sue her in state court in October.
Trump’s lawyer, Alejandro Brito, had the complaint moved to federal court, where Vyskocil declared that while federal court does have jurisdiction, she was declining to exercise it and “dismisses this case to be litigated like any other.”
A Melania Trump spokesperson said that the first lady “is proud to continue standing up to, and fighting against, those who spread malicious and defamatory falsehoods as they desperately try to get undeserved attention and money from their unlawful conduct.”
The 56-year-old’s lawyer previously claimed that Wolff’s statements caused her “overwhelming reputational and financial harm.”
The first lady has denied any association with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of child sex trafficking.
“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” the first lady said in an April press conference.
“The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation,” she added at the time.
Wolff claimed in his lawsuit that the president and first lady “have made a practice of threatening those who speak against them” with costly legal actions “to silence their speech, to intimidate their critics generally, and to extract unjustified payments and North Korean-style confessions and apologies.”
He added that some of his statements were taken out of context and some were protected speech, including a statement he made that claimed the Trumps have a “sham marriage, trophy marriage,” that his lawsuit says was a “fair and justified” opinion.
It also said in his lawsuit that Wolff never accused the first lady of being involved with criminal activity associated with Epstein.
The Daily Beast retracted an article last summer, titled “Melania Trump ‘Very Involved’ in Epstein Scandal: Author,” which was based on an interview with Wolff, after the outlet received a letter from Brito.
In the interview that formed the basis for the retracted piece, Wolff said he reported that the first lady was “behind the scenes” dealing with the situation at the White House, but was not involved criminally.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace praised Melania Trump at the time for coming out against Epstein.
“Melania Trump stands with Epstein victims,” Mace said, citing the first lady’s advocacy for legislation addressing the distribution of fake intimate images. “The truth will prevail.”
Democratic lawmakers also commented following the statement.
Rep. Robert Garcia called for a public hearing, writing, “We agree with First Lady Melania Trump’s call for a public hearing,” Garcia said. “We encourage Chairman Comer to schedule a hearing immediately.”
Garcia said the remarks renewed attention on the broader investigation.
In her remarks, Melania Trump called on Congress to take action.
“Now is the time for Congress to act,” she said.
She urged lawmakers to allow victims to testify under oath.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
