Why Investigators Still Have Annie Guthrie and Tommaso Cioni’s Car, Expert Explains

As the investigation into the Nancy Guthrie missing case takes unusual turns with each passing day, a recent update from the Pima County Sheriff’s Office about the 84-year-old’s daughter, Annie Guthrie, son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, and their vehicle, a blue Honda CR-V, has brought renewed focus to the family’s alleged involvement.

The Sheriff’s office confirmed on March 11, to Parade that the vehicle remains in law enforcement custody and that the process of returning it is ongoing, with no exact timeline for when that might happen.

Reacting to the development, Bob Krygier, a former commander with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team, told Parade, “It probably boils down to something as simple as they gave the original scene back too soon so investigators want to make sure they cover every possibility. Investigators need to maintain the integrity of any evidence that might be in the car or in the car.”

The vehicle is significant because, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department timeline of events, Guthrie took an Uber to her daughter’s home on January 31 for dinner. About 9:45 p.m., Cioni drove Guthrie home in the blue-Honda CR-V before leaving. Law enforcement are still working to piece together the sequence of events that followed, as the 84-year-old has now been missing for more than 40 days.

Krygier believes that because the blue Honda CR-V was one of the last places that Guthrie was seen, it makes sense that the investigators took the vehicle for processing.

“I am sure they are collecting all sorts of scientific evidence like fingerprints and swabbing areas for DNA. There’s also electronic evidence that can be collected via all of the sensors and computers on modern vehicles. Things from location, to speed, to time of day can all be cross-referenced based on the data recovered from the vehicle,” Krygier told Parade.

Krygier further said that because the car was taken by law enforcement, any potential damage or wear from the investigation may need to be addressed before it is returned, “There is a reasonableness standard in law-enforcement that has to be maintained, and it’s also the right thing to do,” Krygier added.

Krygier also noted that a vehicle impounded in connection with an open investigation, could remain in custody “until the case has some closure.”

“There are just a lot of questions as to why it may have stayed in custody of the investigators for so long,” Krygier said.

On the March 10 episode of Nancy Grace’s Crime Stories podcast, investigative reporter Dave Mack said the vehicle is currently at a mechanic shop.

“The vehicle is at the auto mechanic right now, where it is still in the custody of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, not the Guthrie’s, and is being worked on by this auto mechanic,” Mack said, adding that the car is allegedly being “put back together” following an exhaustive search.

Jennifer Coffindaffer, a retired Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agent and former SWAT team member, said in a video on her YouTube channel, Break The Case with Jen Coffindaffer FBI, that investigators will process all evidence, including family-related items, but she does not believe that they are suspects.

Coffindaffer explained she believes police are not focusing on Annie Guthrie or Tommaso Cioni because they have not sought probable cause search warrants.

"Those vehicles are going to be looked at. Are they looking at somebody that they might know? I don't know. But I can tell you what is important... Their searches have been consenting searches. In other words, law enforcement didn't have any probable cause to believe they were involved. They got consent. If they had probable cause, I could tell you this as an FBI agent. If I have probable cause, I'm not going to get consent,” Coffindaffer said.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Office had cleared the Nancy Guthrie family of suspicion in the alleged abduction case. Chris Nanos said in a statement, “The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case.”

“To be clear ... the Guthrie family — to include all siblings and spouses — has been cleared as possible suspects in this case,” he added.

Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home in the Catalina Foothills, Ariz., on February 1. Her children, including Savannah Guthrie, Annie Guthrie and Camron Guthrie, have been actively involved in efforts to find their mother. The family has shared emotional video pleas on social media and offered a $1 million reward for information that could help locate Guthrie.