Ashleigh Banfield first made headlines in the Nancy Guthrie case when she claimed her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni might be a prime suspect in the case changing focus. Here's what we know about her.
Ashleigh Banfield is one of the most recognised journalists in the US who has unexpectedly become part of the national conversation surrounding Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. The 84-year-old mother of Today Show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie has been missing since January 31, 2026, prompting an intense FBI-led investigation.
Amid that, Ashleigh claimed on her podcast, Drop Dead Serious, how an unverified site suggested Nancy's son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, could be a "person of interest." Although she stressed the information was not confirmed, it has spread quickly on the Internet, putting him in the spotlight. Amid the same, here's everything you might want to know about her.
Ashleigh Banfield is a Canadian-American journalist with over 30 years of experience in television news and crime reporting. She was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and French from Queen's University. Later, she completed a journalism fellowship at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, which opened up the way for her in the industry. Initially, Ashleigh started her career in Canadian broadcasting before moving to the United States. She became a credible face for news in the country while working at MSNBC, CNN, and Court TV. According to CNN, she did critical reporting during the September 11 attacks, which developed her reputation.
Over the years, Ashleigh has learned to become known for her clear legal analysis and investigative focus in high-profile cases. In turn, she has developed expertise in courtroom journalism and true-crime coverage, where she explains complex legal cases in plain language. She went on to work on shows such as Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield, Crime & Justice, and others. Eventually, she stepped away from the NewsNation program in January 2026 to focus on discussing ongoing criminal mysteries and legal developments.
Ashleigh Banfield has kept much of her personal life private despite her public career. She is married to a sales executive, Chris Haynor, and she is a mother to two sons from her previous marriage. According to People, she has been focused on carefully balancing her professional and family life. Ashleigh has developed her distinctive space in journalism through her extensive experience covering emotionally charged yet serious criminal cases.
Ashleigh Banfield has also been hooked on the complex Nancy Guthrie missing case. She stated on her podcast that a source suggested Tommaso Cioni could be under scrutiny, which directly linked her to the Nancy Guthrie investigation. However, later, the Pima County Sheriff's Office said no suspects have been officially identified. Further, authorities have requested the public to avoid speculation during the investigation. In fact, Ashleigh herself clarified that her information was unconfirmed, but it has placed Tommaso Cioni, the elder son-in-law of Nancy Guthrie, under public scrutiny.
For those unaware, Tommaso Cioni is the husband of Nancy Guthrie's elder daughter, Savannah Guthrie's sister, Annie Guthrie. Professionally, he works as a biology teacher at a BASIS School in Tucson. Previously, he was a member of a local band alongside musicians, Dominic Evans and Walter Goncalves. It's fun; they have also come under the public scanner in the case. He allegedly has a son with Annie
What do you think about Ashleigh Banfield's claims about Tommaso Cioni in Nancy Guthrie missing case?
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