Derrick Callella, a 42-year-old California man, pleaded guilty on July 2 to two counts of harassment after sending text messages to the family of Nancy Guthrie, an 84-year-old Arizona woman who disappeared from her home in early February. The messages referenced a bitcoin transfer connected to Guthrie’s disappearance, but authorities say Callella had nothing to do with the actual case.
An opportunistic hoax unravels fast
Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home in early February 2026, sparking a public search effort and a law enforcement investigation that included actual ransom demands. Around February 4, Callella sent text messages to Guthrie’s family that implied a bitcoin ransom demand, referencing a fictitious bitcoin transaction tied to the disappearance.
To cover his tracks, Callella used a VOIP app to disguise his phone number. The FBI traced the VOIP account and linked it to Callella’s email. He was arrested the very next day, February 5, roughly 24 hours after sending the texts.
Callella initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, which originally included transmitting a demand for ransom in interstate commerce, a far more serious federal offense. His guilty plea in July resolved only the harassment counts. Sentencing is scheduled for September 10.
