Savannah Guthrie is reportedly "livid" after journalist Ashleigh Banfield publicly floated her brother-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, as a possible suspect in the kidnapping of Guthrie's 84-year-old mother, Nancy.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department had already cleared the family of any involvement. Now Guthrie may be weighing legal action against Banfield for spreading what amounted to baseless speculation during an active investigation.

Megyn Kelly broke the news of Guthrie's fury on her SiriusXM podcast, The Mix reported. Kelly acknowledged she could not confirm reports that the Guthrie family intends to sue, but made Savannah's anger unmistakable:

"I have not been able to confirm that the Guthrie family wants to sue Ashleigh Banfield. But I have confirmed that Savannah is livid about that report and definitely does not suspect her sister or her brother-in-law."

"Can you blame her? I mean, of course, she loves her sister. I'm sure she loves her brother-in-law, and I'm sure she genuinely doesn't believe they had anything to do with it."

What happened to Nancy Guthrie

Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson, Arizona home in the early hours of February 1. It has now been six weeks with no sign of her. Tommaso Cioni and his wife Annie Guthrie, Savannah's older sister, were the last people to see Nancy alive. They had dinner with her on January 31 and dropped her off at home that evening.

A masked intruder was captured on Nancy's doorbell ring camera just before she was taken. He covered the camera with plants before proceeding. Investigators later discovered the same masked figure had appeared on the camera on prior occasions, suggesting he had been casing the home.

The evidence pointed outward from the start. An unknown masked man, repeat surveillance of the property, a deliberate effort to defeat the security camera. None of it implicated the family.

Reckless journalism in real time

That didn't stop Ashleigh Banfield. Days after Nancy's disappearance, Banfield went on live television and claimed a single law enforcement source told her Tommaso was "possibly being eyed" as a suspect. She doubled down even after Tucson Sheriff Chris Nanos publicly insisted the family had no involvement.

The Sheriff did not mince words. He called Banfield's reporting reckless and warned it could damage both the investigation and the people she named:

"To the media, I plead with you to be careful of what it is we put out there. Because we don't have anybody here listed as a suspect. And you could actually be doing some damage to the case. You can do some damage to that individual too."

One unnamed source. No corroboration. A sheriff on record contradicts the claim. And Banfield pressed forward anyway. This is the kind of journalism that destroys reputations in the service of ratings. A family already enduring every parent's worst nightmare found themselves defending their innocence on cable news because one reporter decided a single anonymous tip was worth more than the public statements of the lead investigator.

The cost of speculation

There is a reason responsible reporting demands multiple sources and official confirmation before naming someone as a suspect in a crime. The standard exists precisely for moments like this, when a family is at its most vulnerable, and the public is at its most ravenous for answers. Banfield's decision to air that claim didn't advance the investigation. It diverted attention from the masked intruder captured on camera and placed it squarely on a grieving family.

Savannah Guthrie has returned to New York City for the first time since her mother's disappearance and reportedly plans to return to her anchor chair at the TODAY show, though no date has been set. She continues to offer a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy's return.

Whether or not legal action follows, the damage is already done. A cloud was cast over people the sheriff himself said were not suspects. The camera footage told a clear story. Banfield told a different one.

Nancy Guthrie is still missing. That should be the only story.