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TUCSON, Ariz. (CN) — The FBI is cracking down on attempts to profit from the apparent kidnapping of Arizona grandmother Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC Today host Savannah Guthrie, as the investigation stretches into its fifth day.
On Thursday, the bureau brought two criminal charges against Derrick Callella, of Torrance, California, for texting Guthrie’s family members demanding bitcoin payment. He is currently in custody and charged in a federal courthouse in Tucson.
Callella told law enforcement he found the family’s information online after learning about Guthrie’s disappearance on the news. He sent two texts to Guthrie’s daughter and son-in-law “to see if the family would respond,” according to the FBI. About three minutes after sending the texts, he called another family member for just nine seconds before hanging up.
It’s unclear what, if anything, was said during the nine-second phone call, or whether he sent additional texts requesting any specific amount of money. The FBI used Callella’s IP address to track him back to his home in California.
Guthrie was first reported missing on Sunday, around noon, after family members were informed that she didn’t show up for church service. Investigations by both the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office found that her Tucson home’s security camera had been disconnected at 1:47 a.m. that day. While no video is available, backup software detected movement on the disconnected camera minutes later.
At 2:28 a.m. Sunday, Guthrie’s pacemaker disconnected from her phone app. Her family says she is limited in mobility and relies on lifesaving medications.
Investigators say a trail of blood on the porch matches Guthrie’s DNA, and many of her personal belongings, including her cell phone, were left behind.
On Monday, a local CBS affiliate received a ransom note that included a bitcoin wallet to send payment to. The station turned the note over to the FBI, which has been tight-lipped about specific details in it and other notes received by other media outlets this week. It’s unclear which ransom notes are legitimate, if any.
In a Thursday press conference, FBI Phoenix Special Agent Heith Janke said one of the notes included a deadline of 5 p.m. that evening. It included a secondary deadline of Monday.
The FBI says Callella’s text messages have not been linked to Monday’s ransom request.
On Wednesday, Guthrie’s daughter, Savannah, released a video pleading with potential kidnappers for her mother’s safe return, but said she can’t negotiate a ransom without proof her mother is still alive.
Law enforcement has named no suspects. The FBI created a tip line and is offering $50,000 to anyone who has information that could lead to Guthrie’s safe return home.
Callella is charged with transmitting interstate commerce containing a demand for a ransom and using interstate communications with the intent to abuse, threaten or harass.
In October 2025, a man with the same name and date of birth was charged with grand theft in Los Angeles County for fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits while he was employed by the county, though it’s not confirmed that he’s the same man now charged in Arizona. LA prosecutors say Callella stole $9,984 in benefits between May 2020 and January 2022. He was arraigned in November 2025.
He is one of 13 former county employees accused of collecting a total of $430,000 by submitting fraudulent insurance claims to the California Employment Development Department.
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