Investigator' Claims Nancy Guthrie's Son-in-Law Played in the Early Black Band That 'Loves Murder'

Nancy Guthrie remains missing in Arizona more than seven months after authorities said she was forcibly taken from her home. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in February that the Guthrie family, including all siblings and spouses, had been cleared as possible suspects.

The latest speculation came from social media posts by Jonathan Lee Riches, a self-described investigator, and from users responding to those posts.

Riches recently drew attention to Tommaso Cioni's former band, Early Black, while the search for the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie continued in and around the Catalina Foothills near Tucson.

Timeline of the Disappearance

Guthrie was reported missing on 1 February after her family discovered she was not at home. Investigators later said they believed she had been forcibly taken from the residence during the early hours.

Guthrie was last confirmed at her residence on the evening of 31 January. According to the timeline released by authorities, Guthrie had dinner at her daughter Annie's home before Tommaso Cioni drove her back to her residence.

The couple were among the last known people to see Guthrie before her disappearance, according to authorities. Sheriff Chris Nanos later said the Guthrie family and spouses had been cleared as possible suspects.

Investigation Status

In a statement issued on 16 February, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said it was working with the FBI while continuing to pursue leads. 'To be clear...the Guthrie family – to include all siblings and spouses, has been cleared as possible suspects in this case,' Nanos said. 'The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case.'

Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect in Guthrie's disappearance. The FBI previously released footage showing an armed individual appearing to tamper with a doorbell camera at Guthrie's home.

Investigators have said the investigation involves forensic and video evidence and that they continue to pursue leads.

Riches' Claims About Early Black

Riches, who describes himself as an investigator, recently shared a clip of music associated with Early Black, the Tucson band in which Cioni played bass and provided vocals. Early Black's ReverbNation page identifies the band's genre as rock/post-punk/shoegaze and says it was formed in April 2007.

'Early Black. Band of Tommaso Cioni. Where is Nancy Guthrie?' Riches wrote in one post. In another, he wrote, 'Reminder that Tommaso Cioni played in a band that loves murder. Where's Nancy Guthrie?'

The reference appears to draw on the band's use of the word 'murder' in the title of its material, including Life:Love:Love:Murder.

Online Reactions

Some users speculated, without evidence, that the family and Cioni's former bandmates might be connected to the disappearance. Other users pushed back against attempts to infer criminality from Cioni's musical history.

That criticism is consistent with the available evidence, there is no public evidence linking Cioni's former band to Guthrie's disappearance.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department has not publicly connected Early Black to the investigation, and no evidence identified in the reporting reviewed for this article links the band's music to Guthrie's disappearance.

No Evidential Connection

Riches publicly highlighted Cioni's former band in social media posts. Authorities have not said that Cioni's former bandmates are suspects. Reports do not establish any connection between the band's music and Guthrie's disappearance.

Investigators remain responsible for determining what happened based on evidence and verified leads. For now, authorities have not linked Early Black, Cioni or the band's music to Guthrie's disappearance.