Breaking: FBI Arrests Man for Allegedly Targeting Nancy Guthrie’s Family with Demands
A Los Angeles man,Derrick Callella,has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly texting the Guthrie family and asking for Bitcoin as a ransom to return Nancy Guthrie,who is missing. The texts are not believed to be connected to a ransom demand, according to Fox News’ Bill Melugin, and investigators say Callella tried to use a VOIP app, which was traced to his California address after an emergency disclosure request. He is charged with transmitting a ransom demand related to a kidnapped person and engaging in anonymous interstate communications to harass or threaten.
The Guthrie family, including Savannah Guthrie, released a video appealing for proof of life, and shortly after, two of Nancy Guthrie’s relatives reportedly received texts from Callella about the Bitcoin transaction. The two-count criminal complaint notes that the ransom demand reportedly arrived via an online tip portal to a Tucson television station (KOLD-TV),and callella reportedly admitted to sending the messages after warnings. President Donald Trump said the federal government would commit whatever resources are necessary to search for Nancy Guthrie.
The FBI arrested a Los Angeles man Thursday who allegedly sent texts to Nancy Guthrie’s family seeking a bitcoin payment as a ransom to return the missing 84-year-old.
Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported, “Derrick Callella has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly sending texts to the Guthrie family to ask for bitcoin and see if they would respond. His text messages are *not* believed to be connected to the ransom demand.”
“Feds say he tried to use a VOIP [voice over internet protocol] app which they were able to quickly get around via an emergency disclosure request to their mobile carrier, then they found his IP address and linked it to his California address,” Melugin added.
BREAKING: A Los Angeles man named Derrick Callella has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly sending texts to the Guthrie family to ask for bitcoin and see if they would respond. His text messages are *not* believed to be connected to the ransom demand.
How they caught him &… pic.twitter.com/BrPjcgYHxt
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) February 5, 2026
The two-count criminal complaint posted by Melugin said that KOLD-TV, a CBS affiliate in Tucson, Arizona, received the ransom demand via an online tip portal. Callella is charged with transmitting a ransom demand related to a kidnapped person and engaging in anonymous interstate communications intended to harass or threaten.
“The demand listed a Bitcoin wallet address to receive the ransom payment,” the complaint said.
“After Miranda warnings, Callella [age 42] admitted to sending the two text messages. He admitted to using the VOIP account from which two actual text messages came … Callella stated that he pulled the family information from a cyber website, and that he had been following along and watching TV.”
The Guthrie family, including Nancy’s daughter, NBC host Savannah Guthrie, released a heart-wrenching video Wednesday, asking for the kidnapper to reach out to them and to provide proof of life.
From Savannah Guthrie’s Instagram page pic.twitter.com/kLbjkhUCIG
— Steve Lookner (@lookner) February 5, 2026
Shortly after the video was published, one of Guthrie’s daughters and a son-in-law both separately received a text message allegedly from Callella saying, “Did you get the bitcoin [we’re] waiting on our end for the transaction.”
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the federal government will commit whatever resources are necessary in the search for Nancy Guthrie.
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