A California man has pleaded guilty to sending ransom notes to the family of a missing Arizona woman. Derrick Callella, 42, admitted to two counts of harassment through a telecommunications device and is expected to receive two concurrent five-year probation terms when he is sentenced in September. The charges relate to the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, who was abducted from her Tucson home in February.
Guthrie, the mother of a prominent television personality, was taken from her home in the early morning hours of February 1. A day later, a ransom demand was made, including a Bitcoin wallet address. The family received separate text messages demanding payment, which were later traced to Callella's home in California. Investigators also found that Callella had made phone calls to the family using a voice over internet protocol program to disguise his number.
The FBI arrested Callella at his home and he admitted to sending the messages to see if the family would respond. The case is still being investigated as a kidnapping for ransom, with the FBI receiving several ransom notes during the investigation. Some of these notes have been deemed to be extortion attempts, while others may be legitimate and are still being investigated.
The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has sparked an emotional response from her family, including her daughter, who has made public pleas for information and for the kidnapper to come forward. The family has released home security camera footage and photos showing a masked and armed individual at Guthrie's door, as well as blood stains found at and near the front entrance. Despite this, there has been no further information about the suspect or arrests made in the case.
The investigation into Guthrie's disappearance is ongoing, with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies working to determine the legitimacy of the ransom demands and to find the person responsible for her abduction. The family continues to appeal for help and information, hoping that someone will come forward with information that can lead to Guthrie's safe return.
