A Southern California man has admitted in federal court that he sent bogus ransom messages to the family of missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of TV journalist Savannah Guthrie — a development that investigators say has complicated an already active abduction inquiry and intensified public attention on the case.
Charges and plea
On July 2, Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, California, entered guilty pleas in Tucson federal court to two counts of harassment using a telecommunications device. Prosecutors say the messages were sent shortly after Nancy Guthrie disappeared and followed the family’s public appeal for help.
Federal charging documents and the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicate Callella acknowledged contacting the family on Feb. 4 and seeking information about a bitcoin payment after an earlier ransom demand surfaced. His conduct, officials say, was intended to harass and to obtain details about the investigation. The offense carries up to two years behind bars and a potential fine of as much as $250,000.
How the incident fits into the larger probe
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on Feb. 1 after she did not arrive to watch a virtual church service at a friend’s home. Investigators reviewed footage from her Google Nest doorbell that captured an armed, masked person at the scene, but authorities have not publicly identified a suspect.
An unnamed FBI source told Reuters that several ransom-related messages that emerged in the weeks after her disappearance appear to be false, including two notes shared with media outlets and a separate claim by someone asserting knowledge of the abductors’ identities. Officials stress the matter remains under active investigation and that forensic work on video and DNA evidence continues.
Family reaction and public appeal
The Guthrie family initially took a Feb. 2 demand for $4 million in bitcoin seriously, according to reporting by a digital newsletter that spoke with people close to the probe. A subsequent email from the same IP address reportedly apologized for an accidental death and suggested some form of transaction tied to a body — messages investigators later questioned.
Savannah Guthrie has publicly appealed for information while remaining careful not to be involved in coverage of the story. During a June broadcast of NBC’s “Today,” she urged anyone with potential leads to come forward, saying the family is still “in agony.” The family has offered a $1 million reward for information that helps recover their mother.
- Defendant: Derrick Callella, 42, Hawthorne, California
- Plea date: July 2, 2026 (federal court, Tucson)
- Alleged actions: Calls and text messages seeking bitcoin payment and information (Feb. 4)
- Legal exposure: Up to 2 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines
- Case status: Investigation ongoing; forensic analysis of evidence continues
- Reward: $1 million for information leading to recovery
Law enforcement officials say hoax demands and false leads can divert resources and deepen the family’s distress. The FBI and local prosecutors can pursue charges when such communications involve harassment, extortion attempts or efforts to obstruct an investigation — particularly when they employ electronic means like text messages and emails.
Police arrested Callella in Hawthorne on Feb. 5. His guilty plea closes one thread of the case but does not resolve who was captured on the doorbell camera or the broader circumstances of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
Investigators continue to ask anyone with relevant information — no matter how small it may seem — to contact law enforcement. Significant updates, officials say, will be shared publicly as the probe develops.
