Calif. Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Fake Nancy Guthrie Ransom Note

There’s been another massive update in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.

Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, volunteer teams, and tips pouring in, her whereabouts remain unknown more than five months later.

A man from California has admitted that he sent fake ransom notes in the case of Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced on July 2 that Derrick Callella of Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment using a telecommunication device.

Callella, who is 42 years old, admitted to calling and texting about sending bitcoin to Guthrie’s family on February 4.

“Callella acknowledged that he knew an earlier ransom demand had been made. Callella also admitted that his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person’s disappearance,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in its press release.

Callella could face two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, along with one year of being closely watched while he is free.

On September 10, he will be given his sentence.

This is the second major piece of information to break this week in the Guthrie case.

Federal investigators have determined that all three ransom notes linked to the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, are fake communications, according to an FBI official who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday.

The bombshell revelation comes nearly six months after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her upscale home in Catalina Foothills, Arizona, on January 31, 2026, in what authorities have treated as a criminal abduction.

The FBI assessment covers two ransom notes reported in early February, days after Guthrie disappeared, and a third, more recent message from someone claiming to know the kidnappers’ identities.

“None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine,” the FBI official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the active investigation.

Officials from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, who are leading the investigation with FBI assistance, have not publicly detailed the contents of all notes.

However, sources familiar with the case previously revealed that the first note demanded millions in bitcoin for Guthrie’s safe return.

A second note reportedly claimed she had died, with the apparent abductors apologizing and stating they did not mean for her to die.

A third note, sent to TMZ in late June, claimed to have video evidence of the abduction.

The FBI Phoenix Field Office later issued a statement clarifying that while some notes appear to be extortion attempts, others “may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such.”

The agency emphasized, “This case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom case.”

Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31, 2026, after her daughter Savannah dropped her off at home following a family dinner.

Surveillance footage captured an armed, masked figure tampering with her security camera before her disappearance.

Authorities discovered signs of a struggle inside the home, including hallway blood and a broken lamp.

Savannah Guthrie publicly pleaded for information after stepping away from her NBC duties to assist in the search.

Law enforcement kept many details private to avoid compromising the investigation, but leaks to media outlets fueled public speculation and theories ranging from a genuine kidnapping to a hoax.

A $50,000 reward was offered for information leading to Nancy’s safe return or the arrest of those responsible.

Mixed DNA evidence has been analyzed, but no arrests have been made.

“We are following every lead,” he said in recent updates.

The family continues to cooperate fully while dealing with what Savannah has called “unending trauma.”