California man arrested, accused of imposter ransom demand in Nancy Guthrie case

PHOENIX — Authorities said Thursday an arrest was made for an imposter ransom demand related to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie in Tucson.

The demand was separate from the ransom note sent to national and local media outlets, an FBI official said while discussing the investigation into what happened to “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother.

The FBI arrested Derrick Callella of Hawthorne, California, in connection with the fake ransom demand, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

Callella is accused of transmitting a demand for ransom in interstate commerce and utilizing a telecommunication device with the intent to abuse, threaten or harass a person, prosecutors said.

He allegedly sent text messages to Guthrie’s family that said, “Did you get the bitcoin were [sic] waiting on our end for the transaction.”

Investigators determined that the messages came from a number associated with a voice over internet protocol app, or VOIP, that hides the identity of the source.

They submitted an emergency disclosure for records about the number, which they tracked to Callella.

After he was taken into custody, Callella admitted to sending the text messages, according to the criminal complaint filed by prosecutors.

“Callella stated that he pulled family information from a cyber website, and that he had been following along and watching TV. When he said that he sent text messages he was trying to see if the family would respond,” the complaint says.

FBI taking ransom note sent to media outlets seriously

Heith Janke, special agent in charge of the FBI Phoenix office, announced the arrest during a livestreamed press conference about the Nancy Guthrie case.

“To those imposters who are trying to take advantage and profit from this situation, we will investigate and ensure you are held accountable for your actions,” Janke said.

Janke also said the FBI is taking the ransom notes sent to the media earlier this week seriously. He said the same message was sent to local and national outlets and there hasn’t been any additional contact related to them since they were received.

“The ransom note that was distributed to the media did make a demand for 5 p.m. today,” Janke said. “And if a transfer wasn’t made, then I think a second demand was for next Monday.”

Janke declined to provide other details about what was in the note.

“While we advise and recommend from a law enforcement perspective, any action taken on any ransom is ultimately decided by the family,” Janke said.

When did Nancy Guthrie go missing?

Nancy Guthrie hasn’t been seen since she was dropped off at her home in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills area on Saturday night, Jan. 31. Investigators have been working on the assumption that she was taken against her will sometime between 9:45 p.m. Saturday and just before noon Sunday.

Thursday’s press conference with FBI officials and Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos covered a wide range of topics, including potential suspects, DNA samples, other evidence and an FBI reward.

Among the revelations was the fact that blood found in the front patio area of the house was confirmed to be Nancy Guthrie’s.

The #FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.

She was last seen at her residence in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, on the… pic.twitter.com/4GsKV7zFxo

— FBI (@FBI) February 5, 2026

Additionally, the FBI said it was offering a $50,000 reward in the case. Tips can be submitted to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).

Nanos said no suspects or persons of interest have been identified. However, investigators haven’t ruled anybody out, either, he acknowledged.

“We’re actively looking at everybody we come across in this case,” Nanos said.

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