TRUE CRIME NEWSNancy Guthrie's Alleged Kidnapper's Behavior 'Feels Chaotic' and 'Emotionally Driven,' Claims Ex-Cop
A former cop doesn't think money is the 'motive' in the alleged kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie.
May 28 2026, Published 1:44 p.m. ET
Retired law enforcement officer Charles Brewer publicly stated that Nancy Guthrie's alleged abductor(s) may be someone from her "immediate world" rather than a random criminal.
In his YouTube broadcast titled "Nancy Guthrie Case: We May Have Been Looking at the Wrong Person," Brewer argued that the case likely stems from personal or emotional motives rather than financial gain.
'Why Leave $1 Million Untouched?'
An ex-cop believes Nancy Guthrie may have been taken by someone she knows.
Brewer disputed the widely held theory that Nancy, the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was targeted strictly for a celebrity payout, pointing out several anomalies in the offender's behavior.
He noted that one million dollars in available funds — the reward the Guthries announced — has gone completely untouched by the perpetrators, and there have been no consistent, logical ransom negotiations or verified proofs of life.
“Why leave over a million dollars untouched? Why create ransom-style messages that reportedly make little sense? Why no sustained negotiations or proof of life, no sophisticated extortion strategy?” he asked.
Nancy Guthrie has been missing since February 1.
He also said the early ransom-style messages made little sense, suggesting a crime driven by emotion, revenge or obsession rather than a professional extortion plot.
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Charles Brewer said the kidnapper's behavior feels 'chaotic' and 'disconnected.'
“Because if somebody kidnaps for money, money usually becomes the priority,” Brewer added. “But here the behavior feels chaotic, disconnected, even emotionally driven, or possibly connected to something far more personal than the public originally believed.”
Brewer concluded that instead of focusing solely on Savannah’s celebrity status, investigators should look into connections inside Nancy's direct ecosystem — such as friends, associates, business relationships or personal grievances.
“If this truly was a celebrity-targeted kidnapping connected directly to Savannah Guthrie, why has there been no meaningful ransom communication?” he asked.
There are currently no known suspects in the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mom.
Nancy has been missing since February 1, 2026, when she was allegedly taken from her Tucson, Ariz., residence.
While Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has cleared the immediate Guthrie family of involvement, no suspects have been named publicly as doorbell camera footage and DNA remains under FBI review.
'Something Still Feels Off'
The former police officer said 'something still feels untouched' in the investigation.
Brewer was certain investigators are missing something that could be quite obvious.
“Listen, if the public, including myself, was comfortable enough early on in discussing whether this crime was connected to Savannah Guthrie’s fame, her wealth, and public visibility, then it is equally reasonable to ask whether this case may somehow connect to someone else inside Nancy’s immediate world,” he expressed.
He continued, “Not necessarily family directly, but maybe somebody connected to them like a friend, an associate, maybe a business relationship, or what about a debt? A dangerous person orbiting somewhere close to this family that nobody fully recognized at the time, because after more than 100 days, something still feels off. Something still feels untouched.”
