The horrifying disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has taken a sickening turn. The man behind a series of “fake” ransom texts sent to the desperate family of Today show star Savannah Guthrie has finally revealed his cold-blooded motive.
Derrick Callella, a Los Angeles man in his 40s, was arrested and charged on Thursday after a heartless scheme to exploit the family’s grief. While the Guthries were praying for the safe return of their 84-year-old matriarch, Callella was allegedly busy typing out demands for Bitcoin.
The “Twisted” Motive Revealed
According to federal court documents filed in Arizona, Callella didn’t actually have Nancy. He was simply a “hoaxer” watching the tragedy unfold on his television screen. After hunting down the family’s contact info online, he sent chilling messages to Savannah’s sister, Annie, and her husband, Tommaso Cioni.
“Did you get the bitcoin were [sic] waiting on our end for the transaction,” one message read.
When investigators finally tracked him down in California, his reason for the harassment was bone-chilling: He just “wanted to see if the family would respond.” Callella now faces two counts of transmitting ransom communications, though officials confirm he has no real link to the actual abduction.
A Race Against Time: “Her Heart is Fragile”
While the FBI deals with impostors, the real search for Nancy Guthrie continues under a cloud of “grave concern.” The 84-year-old was snatched from her Tucson home last Saturday night. In a devastating video appeal, Savannah Guthrie broke down in tears, highlighting the life-or-death stakes.
Nancy suffers from severe cardiac issues and high blood pressure. Without her daily medication and her pacemaker’s connection to her phone—which severed at 2:28 am on the night she vanished—authorities fear the worst. “She needs it to survive,” Savannah sobbed. “She needs it not to suffer.”
The Passing Deadline
The FBI is currently analyzing one “legitimate” ransom note that demanded millions in Bitcoin and set two specific deadlines. The first passed Thursday night with zero contact from the captors.
In a last-ditch effort, Savannah’s brother, Camron Guthrie, released a direct message to the kidnappers:
“Whoever is out there holding our mother… we need you to reach out. We want to talk to you, and we are waiting.”
CHILLING TIMELINE: The Final Moments of Nancy Guthrie
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Jan 31, 9:50 pm: Nancy’s garage door closes for the last time.
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Feb 1, 1:47 am: Her doorbell camera is mysteriously disconnected.
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Feb 1, 2:12 am: Motion software detects a “person” on the property, but no video exists.
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Feb 1, 2:28 am: The “Heart-Stop” Moment—Nancy’s pacemaker app loses connection.
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Feb 3: Investigators discover a trail of blood outside the home and signs of forced entry.
The Pima County Sheriff has officially labeled the home a “crime scene,” but despite drones, infrared cameras, and federal aid, there are currently no suspects and no leads.
Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/38139480/nancy-guthrie-ransom-note-hoaxer-derrick-callella-confession/
