Key facts
- Derrick Callella pleaded guilty to sending a fake ransom note to Nancy Guthrie's family.
- Nancy Guthrie, mother of Savannah Guthrie, disappeared on January 31 near Tucson, Arizona.
- Callella sent texts to Guthrie's daughter and son-in-law inquiring about a bitcoin transaction.
- Authorities stated Callella's texts were an attempt to gain information about the investigation.
- Callella faces up to two years in prison or a $250,000 fine.
- Callella is scheduled for sentencing on September 10.
A California man has pleaded guilty to sending a phoney ransom note to the family of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie. Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, California, sent text messages to Nancy Guthrie's daughter, Annie Guthrie, and her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, inquiring about a bitcoin transaction shortly after the family made a public plea for information regarding Nancy's disappearance.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31 at her residence near Tucson, Arizona. Law enforcement observed her cellphone, medication, and essential items inside the home, along with drops of blood near the porch. A local news affiliate reported receiving a ransom demand that included a bitcoin wallet address.
According to federal authorities, Callella's texts were not related to the initial ransom demand but were an attempt to gain information about the ongoing investigation. The FBI continues to investigate potentially legitimate extortion notes connected to Guthrie's disappearance. Callella faces up to two years in prison or a $250,000 fine and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10.