Federal authorities have arrested a man in connection with the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case—but he’s not suspected of actually taking the 84-year-old. Instead, Derrick Callella, a Southern California resident, allegedly sent fake ransom messages to Nancy’s family referencing bitcoin payments.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Callella was taken into custody on February 5 in Hawthorne, California. Investigators say he sent texts to Nancy’s daughter, Annie, and her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, that read: “Did you get the bitcoin were [sic] waiting on our end for the transaction.”
FBI Special Agent Kerry Witherspoon said the messages were sent via a voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VOIP) app on February 4, shortly after the family released a public video pleading for Nancy’s safe return. Records show Callella called a family member three minutes later; the call lasted just nine seconds. Authorities confirm these texts have not been linked to the February 2 ransom demand submitted to Tucson news outlet KOLD.
“The family’s safety and well-being remain our priority,” Assistant Special Agent Jon Edwards said during a Feb. 5 briefing. “We are treating all ransom notes seriously and following every lead in this ongoing investigation.”
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