California Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Fake Ransom Note to Family of Missing 84-Year-Old Nancy Guthrie
By
Charisma Madarang
Summary
Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty to sending a fake ransom note to the family of missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. Callella admitted to contacting the family via phone and text messages on February 4, 2026, demanding a bitcoin transfer and seeking information about the investigation into Guthrie's disappearance. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona announced the plea, noting Callella intended to harass the family during their desperate search for Guthrie, who is the mother of a Today Show host.
Source
Rolling StoneCalifornia Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Fake Ransom Note to Family of Missing 84-Year-Old Nancy Guthrierollingstone.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledIn his plea, Derrick Callella, 42, admitted that he called and sent text messages to a missing person's family on Feb. 4, 2026, regarding a bitcoin transfer.
He also said that he intended to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person's disappearance.
A man from Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty on Thursday to sending a fake ransom note to the family of Nancy Guthrie amid a desperate search for the 84-year-old woman.
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