The recent arrest is not thought to be linked to ransom letters sent to media outlets earlier this week.
Federal agents have apprehended a California man in relation to an “imposter ransom demand” concerning the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.
According to a criminal complaint, the individual arrested is 42-year-old Derrick Callella, as reported by The National News Desk. He faces charges for violating two federal laws related to making ransom demands across state lines.
During a press briefing on Thursday, FBI Agent Heith Janke stated that the investigation does not link Callella’s messages—sent to Nancy Guthrie’s daughter and son-in-law, Annie Guthrie and Tommaso Cioni, on Wednesday—to the ransom letters that several media outlets received on Monday. Those letters reportedly demanded millions in Bitcoin, as noted by CrimeOnline.
The complaint reveals that Annie Guthrie and Tommaso Cioni received a text message on Wednesday that read, “Did you get the bitcoing were [sic] waiting on our end for the transaction.”
Investigators traced the origin of these messages to a voice over internet protocol application and discovered that the number was registered to derrickcallella@gmail.com. Further investigation linked it to an internet provider address associated with Callella’s residence in California.
How they caught him &… pic.twitter.com/BrPjcgYHxt
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) February 5, 2026
Investigators traced the number that sent those messages to a voice over internet protocol app and found the number was registered to derrickcallella@gmail.com. They were also able to track it to an internet provider address associated with Callella’s home in California.
Callella admitted sending the text messages to both Annie Guthrie and Cioni and to making a 9-second phone call to one of the family members after sending the texts.
Janke said during Thursday’s news conference that the ransom letters sent to media outlets included two deadlines — the first for 5 p.m. Thursday and the second for sometime on Monday. He said that federal agents would advise family members regarding those letters but that “any action taken on any ransom is ultimately decided by the family.”
Savannah Guthrie, her sister, and her brother released video Wednesday night on Instagram in which they said they were “ready to talk” but “need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her.”
Investigators have not said whether they have been able to authenticate the ransom demand, and there have been no known responses to the Guthries’ video.
Janke also announced a $50,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of anyone associated with Nancy Guthrie’s abduction.
Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills area outside Tucson shortly before 10 p.m. on Saturday and was reported missing by family around noon on Sunday.
