Man Pleads Guilty to Harassing Family of Missing Woman With Fake Ransom Note

A California man has pleaded guilty to sending a fake ransom note to the family of Nancy Guthrie, an 84-year-old woman who went missing earlier this year. Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment using a telecommunication device, according to TheWrap.

Callella admitted to contacting Guthrie's family via phone and text messages on February 4, 2026, demanding a bitcoin transfer and seeking information about the investigation into her disappearance, Rolling Stone reported. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona announced the plea, highlighting the malicious nature of the communication during a time of crisis.

Rolling StoneCalifornia Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Fake Ransom Note to Family of Missing 84-Year-Old Nancy Guthrie

"Callella intended to harass the family during their desperate search for Guthrie"

The exploitation of a family's anguish underscores the cruelty of the act, as authorities noted the deliberate timing of the fake demand.

Callella's sentencing is scheduled for September 10, with reports indicating he will receive 10 years of probation, TheWrap reported. Nancy Guthrie is the mother of a Today Show host, adding a layer of public attention to the case.

The guilty plea brings a measure of accountability for a scheme that preyed on a family already gripped by uncertainty and grief over a missing loved one.