California Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Fake Nancy Guthrie Ransom Note as Investigation Continues

A California man has admitted to sending fake ransom communications to the family of missing Nancy Guthrie, adding another disturbing chapter to the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother.

 

Federal prosecutors announced that Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment using a telecommunication device after admitting he contacted Nancy Guthrie’s family with false messages about a Bitcoin ransom.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Callella called and texted the family on February 4, just days after Nancy vanished from her Tucson, Arizona, home. Prosecutors said he was aware that a genuine ransom demand had already been reported and intentionally used the situation to harass the family while attempting to gather information about the investigation.

Callella now faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, along with one year of supervised release. His sentencing is scheduled for September 10.

 

Nancy Guthrie disappeared in the early morning hours of February 1 after she was allegedly abducted from her home. More than five months later, investigators have not identified or arrested any official suspects, and the case remains an active kidnapping-for-ransom investigation.

The guilty plea comes as authorities continue sorting through multiple ransom communications received during the investigation. The FBI recently confirmed that investigators have examined several ransom notes connected to the case. While some have already been determined to be fraudulent extortion attempts, officials say other messages have not been ruled out and are still being investigated for possible authenticity.

 

Earlier reports claimed the first ransom demand sought millions of dollars in cryptocurrency, while another message allegedly stated that Nancy had died shortly after her abduction. Federal investigators continue to analyze those communications as part of the broader investigation.

Despite the false messages sent by Callella, authorities stress that the search for Nancy Guthrie remains active. Investigators continue reviewing digital evidence, analyzing forensic testing, and following new leads in hopes of determining what happened to the missing grandmother.

Law enforcement officials have urged anyone with credible information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance to contact investigators immediately as the case remains unsolved.