Savannah Guthrie Lays Down The Law With The True-Crime Community Over Mom Nancy

It would be disingenuous to claim the public's fascination with true-crime and sudden horrors are a uniquely modern phenomenon, particularly where the evolving case of "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie's missing mother, Nancy, is concerned. After all, articles documenting the murders of 1880s serial killer Jack the Ripper still live in our collective imagination, but the fear they instilled was incredibly material. Now in the age of Netflix documentaries and murder mystery podcasts, said fascination has seemingly replaced empathy — and that's where Guthrie draws the line.

From the shocking news of Nancy's kidnapping on February 1, to Guthrie's emotional on-air pleas for information, the case has been incredibly high-profile. Yet, despite the co-anchor's desire for respect and privacy, some netizens are taking their curiosity to the scene of the crime itself — and Guthrie won't stand for it. Police records obtained by TMZ shared how the host contacted local authorities on June 11 following a tip that a YouTuber was live-streaming on the property. 

The owner of the "Criminal Network" channel, Alexander Zabel, had apparently been spotted outside the property before, with authorities describing Guthrie as "extremely upset" upon his return. Although she had already made this bold decision when it came to her security following her "Today" return, she won't back down from taking serious safety precautions when it comes to protecting the house in which her mother lived. Guthrie also reportedly told investigators she feared for the safety of both herself and the rest of her family by the increased presence of true-crime streamers on the property.

True-crime content often neglects the victims' families and survivors when turning these horrific incidents into mere content. Fans even rushed to Savannah Guthrie's defense when it appeared as though her coworkers were plotting to make a "Dateline" episode about her mother, Nancy, less than two weeks after her kidnapping. However, unlike the network, streamer Alexander Zabel doesn't appear to see an issue with exploiting the tragedy for his own creative gain.

According to News 4 Tucson, Zabel is being charged with resisting arrest and being a public nuisance — but not trespassing. This wasn't the first time the "Criminal Network" creator stirred up trouble, as earlier that same week he'd been charged for pitching a "pee-tent" near the property and obstructing the road with traffic cones. The outlet also shared that Zabel claimed in a social media post, "I was not there to threaten anyone. I was not there to cause trouble. I was there to exercise my First Amendment rights and keep public attention on a case that remains unsolved."

When it came to the charges of resisting arrest, Zabel insisted, "If law enforcement believed I was resisting arrest, the reality is that I was demanding to know why I was being arrested for something I did not believe I had done." And, with the reveal of another ransom note claiming that Nancy was dead, the presence of these streamers on the property can't help but feel opportunistic.