The case of lacking Nancy Guthrie has attracted vital public curiosity. The 84-year-old lady, who’s the mom of At present’s host Savannah Guthrie, has been lacking since January 31, when she was final seen.
In response to reviews, Nancy and her daughter Anne had dinner collectively within the night of January 31, and Anne dropped her off at residence at round 9:30 p.m. Nevertheless, Nancy didn’t present up at church on Sunday morning, which raised issues as a result of she had by no means missed service earlier than.
By Sunday midday, she was formally reported lacking.
Inside hours of her disappearance, groups have been combing the world by land and air, with planes, helicopters, drones, and Border Patrol canines becoming a member of the hassle.
Police imagine Nancy Guthrie was taken from her residence in opposition to her will, calling the case a doable kidnapping or abduction. Investigators say her restricted mobility makes it unlikely she left on her personal, they usually have dominated out cognitive impairment.
“This isn’t dementia-related. She’s as sharp as a tack,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos mentioned in a press convention.
Authorities haven’t revealed what first raised issues of a criminal offense, however in response to the Los Angeles Instances, blood was found on the entrance porch of her Tucson residence. Police sources mentioned investigators haven’t put ahead any principle about why she might have been taken. The blood was reportedly discovered alongside indicators of compelled entry at her Catalina Hills, Arizona, residence, although officers say its supply has not been recognized.
In the latest replace launched by authorities amid the continuing seek for Nancy Guthrie, federal officers revealed a troubling growth linked to the case, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirming that they made an arrest after figuring out the person had been posing because the captor of the lacking 84-year-old lady.
In response to investigators, the suspect despatched a fraudulent demand meant to look as if it got here from whoever was answerable for Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
Officers emphasised that the message wasn’t actual and was merely an try and rip-off and make the most of the state of affairs. The one that was arrested is accused of preying on the worry and confusion surrounding the case by pretending to be the kidnapper and sending a faux demand, which ended up deceptive the household and disrupted the continuing investigation.
“We imagine there is no such thing as a proof to attach this to Nancy’s case,” Heith Janke, the particular agent in command of the bureau’s Phoenix division mentioned at a Feb. 5 press convention after confirming the arrest, E Information! reported. “It was somebody that was making an attempt to revenue from it. A complete imposter.”
NEW: Picture of L.A. man arrested for sending texts to Guthrie household asking for bitcoin, in response to Feds. Derrick Callella. pic.twitter.com/rL8mq0kNyD
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) February 6, 2026
Authorities additionally made it clear that this arrest solely pertains to the bogus message and doesn’t imply the suspect had something to do with Nancy’s disappearance.
In response to Nationwide At present, the suspect in query is 42-year-old Hawthorne man named Derrick Callella.
He allegedly despatched the message to Nancy’s household shortly after her household shared an emotional plea video through which they requested whoever has taken their mom to return her residence safely.
The message in query allegedly mentioned, “Did you get the bitcoin [we are] ready on our finish for the transaction,” CBS reported.
The publication additionally famous that the FBI mentioned Callella used a program to disguise his telephone quantity when he despatched the message. Regardless of that, brokers have been in a position to hint the textual content again to an IP deal with linked to his residence in California, in response to the prison criticism.
He was arrested on February 5 in Hawthorne, about 5 miles from LAX. The criticism says Callella admitted to sending the message after finding the household’s info on-line.Investigators additionally famous that he tried to name Nancy Guthrie’s household shortly after sending the texts.
In response to the FBI, “The 2 textual content messages haven’t been linked to the February 2, 2026, ransom demand.”
Derrick Callella, who used to work for Los Angeles County, has run into authorized bother earlier than. In 2025, he was one among 13 county workers accused of amassing practically $430,000 in unemployment advantages they weren’t entitled to throughout the pandemic. He confronted each felony and misdemeanor theft fees in reference to the case.
Beforehand, TMZ reported to have acquired a ransom observe relating to Nancy’s disappearance.
“So, we received one thing in our electronic mail that appears like a, it’s written like a ransom observe for Savannah Guthrie’s mom,” TMZ’s Harvey Levin mentioned.
He added that the observe requests “a really particular” sum of money.
“And, additionally, on the backside there are particular issues they’re saying about what she was carrying and injury to the home to say, ‘It’s us,’” Levin defined. “So, we’ve got contacted the sheriff’s division and we wish to get them this letter.”
The outlet reported that they couldn’t confirm if the e-mail was real, but it surely appeared to incorporate particulars that solely somebody near the state of affairs would know. “There’s a requirement for cash or else in there. We’ll maintain you up to date as this develops,” Levin mentioned.
Officers with the Pima County Sheriff’s Division confirmed that some “doable random notes” have appeared in reference to the case, however they didn’t affirm whether or not any of them are actual. Police additionally wouldn’t say whether or not the observe TMZ reported is genuine or simply the work of a hoaxer.
Within the wake of her mom’s disappearance, Savannah Guthrie has stepped again from her duties on the At present present and has appealed to the general public to maintain her mom of their prayers.
“We imagine in prayer. We imagine in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We imagine in goodness. We imagine in humanity. Above all, we imagine in Him,” Savannah wrote.
“Thanks for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mother, our dearest Nancy, a girl of deep conviction, a great and trustworthy servant. Increase your prayers with us and imagine with us that she will probably be lifted by them on this very second.”
She concluded, “We want you. He’ll maintain in good peace these whose hearts are steadfast, trusting within the Lord.” A verse from Isaiah, “forever, for all of us. Convey her residence.”
The hassle to search out Nancy Guthrie continues, with officers warning the general public to rely solely on confirmed reviews from legislation enforcement because the investigation strikes ahead.
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