Savannah Guthrie’s Cousin Teri in Spotlight Amid Nancy Guthrie’s Abduction: The ‘Kidnapping Game’ Resurfaces

The mysterious disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, 84, mother of Savannah Guthrie, has cast an unexpected spotlight on her family, particularly her cousin Teri. Nancy was reportedly abducted from her Tucson, Arizona, home on the midnight of January 31, 2026 (ET). Over 18 days of investigation, authorities discovered blood trails, five ransom notes, gloves left by a masked intruder, and doorbell camera footage capturing the suspect.

Amid the investigation, Teri has drawn attention due to a peculiar childhood tradition recalled in Savannah Guthrie’s 2024 memoir, Mostly What God Does.

Who Is Teri?

Teri (last name unknown) is a cousin to Savannah, Annie, and Camron Guthrie, and was reportedly close to the siblings growing up. Savannah’s book notes that Teri lived in Phoenix and visited the Guthries in Tucson each summer. During these visits, the cousins engaged in playful activities, including a “kidnapping game” that has resurfaced in public discussion following Nancy Guthrie’s real-life abduction.

The ‘Kidnapping Game’

According to Savannah Guthrie, the game involved Teri waking her and her sister, Annie, in the pre-dawn hours and “shushing” them as they “escaped” from their house. They would pile into Teri’s station wagon and drive north toward Phoenix. Radio host Amy Brown explained on a recent episode of The Bobby Bones Show:

“It was called ‘Mock Kidnapping’. It was something they did regularly. And her mom would play along. They would go from like Tucson to Phoenix and act like they were kidnapped.”

The game’s final phase involved a playful phone call to Nancy Guthrie from a payphone, in which the girls would joke, “Mom, cousin Teri kidnapped us to take us to her house!” Nancy reportedly played along, pretending shock while promising to “retrieve” the children a few days later.

Social media users have revisited the game in light of Nancy Guthrie’s actual disappearance, with some commenters suggesting the childhood game is eerily similar to the circumstances of the real-life abduction.

Public Speculation and Family Scrutiny

Before attention shifted to Teri, Nancy Guthrie’s son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni — husband of Annie Guthrie — was publicly speculated to be a suspect. NewsNation journalist Ashleigh Banfield cited an unverified source claiming Cioni as a “prime suspect” due to being the last family member to see Nancy on the night she vanished. Reports indicated that he had driven Nancy home from a family dinner on Saturday night and confirmed she was safely inside around 9:30 p.m.

Sheriff Clears Immediate Family

On February 16, 2026 (ET), Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos officially cleared Tommaso Cioni and all immediate family members, including Nancy’s children Savannah, Annie, and Camron Guthrie, as potential suspects. The sheriff’s office emphasized that the family has been fully cooperative in the ongoing search and are considered victims in the case. This clearance also extends to spouses, including Tommaso Cioni and Michael Feldman.

While investigators continue to explore all leads, Teri’s childhood “kidnapping game” has resurfaced as a topic of public fascination amid Nancy Guthrie’s ongoing disappearance.