Derrick Callella, a 42-year-old California man, pleaded guilty on Thursday to sending a fake ransom note to the family of Nancy Guthrie, the missing 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie. He faces up to two years in prison or a $250,000 fine, according to federal authorities.
Details of the Disappearance
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on 31 January at her home outside Tucson, Arizona. Inside the residence, authorities found her cellphone, medication, and other basic essentials, along with drops of blood near the porch. The FBI continues to investigate extortion notes that may be legitimate in connection with her disappearance.
Public Plea and Phony Demand
After CBS affiliate Kold in Tucson reported receiving a ransom demand with a bitcoin wallet address, the Guthrie family posted a video on 4 February imploring Nancy's abductors to contact them. Shortly after, Callella obtained the phone numbers of Nancy's daughter, Annie Guthrie, and her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, and sent each a text: “Did you get the bitcoin were waiting on our end for the transaction,” according to court documents.
Callella had been following details of Guthrie's disappearance on TV, per a February complaint filed with the Arizona district court. Law enforcement tracked down an email address with his name registered to the number behind the texts. The texts are unrelated to the ransom demand received by Kold; Callella was seeking to gain information about the investigation.
Sentencing and Ongoing Investigation
Callella is scheduled to be sentenced on 10 September. The FBI clarified it is investigating some extortion demands as legitimate, as the search for Nancy Guthrie continues.
