A California man has confessed to sending a bogus ransom demand connected to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty Thursday, July 2, to two counts of harassment using a telecommunications device, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona announced in the official press release. Prosecutors say Callella called and texted Guthrie's family on February 4, just days after the news of Nancy's disappearance was made public, asking about a bitcoin transfer.
According to KOLD, Callella texted Nancy's oldest daughter, Annie, and her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni. Investigators said the texts landed just moments after the Guthrie family released their first video message pleading with the alleged kidnappers for proof of life. "Callella acknowledged that he knew an earlier ransom demand had been made," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in its release. "Callella also admitted that his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person's disappearance."
According to NBC News, Court records show he used a VOIP, or internet-based, phone line to send the message: "Did you get the bitcoin were (sic) waiting on our end for the transaction."
Inside the Plea Deal: Derrick Callella's Sentencing and Penalties
Under the plea agreement, Callella is expected to receive two concurrent five-year probation terms when he's sentenced September 10. He also faces a maximum possible penalty of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, according to Reuters. The plea comes as investigators continue sorting fact from fiction in the broader case.
Australian-born presenter, Savannah Guthrie poses for a photo before hosting NBC's "Today Show" live from Australia at Sydney Opera House on May 4, 2015 in Sydney, Australia.Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage
Callella's sentencing comes just one day after the FBI's Phoenix office issued a new statement, saying the case has drawn "several ransom notes" throughout the investigation, calling some 'potentially legitimate'.
The statement read: "Some have been deemed to be extortion attempts without legitimacy," the bureau said. "Other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such."
Statement on Guthrie Investigation pic.twitter.com/zTUKcjPfsv
— FBI Phoenix (@FBIPhoenix) July 1, 2026The FBI's update followed a June 30 Reuters report claiming that an FBI source had called the notes fake. The case remains open as a kidnapping-for-ransom investigation.
Nancy, the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing on February 1 after vanishing from her Tucson-area home the night before. Despite multiple rounds of searches around her property and several rounds of DNA testing, no suspect has been publicly named, and no breakthrough has emerged.
Anyone with information related to Nancy Guthrie is asked to call Tucson’s 88-Crime hotline at 1-520-882-7463 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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