PHOENIX (AZFamily) —A California man is facing federal charges after investigators say he sent messages to the family of Nancy Guthrie, posing as the suspected abductor in the disappearance case.
Federal documents obtained by Arizona’s Family on Thursday showed that Derrick Callella faces two charges in connection with a phony ransom demand in the search for the mother of network news anchor Savannah Guthrie.
Court paperwork showed that on Wednesday, Annie Guthrie, Savannah’s sister, and Tommaso Cioni, Nancy’s son-in-law, each got a text from a VOIP (internet) phone line which read: “Did you get the bitcoin were [sic] waiting on our end for the transaction.”
The feds said the messages were sent moments after family released a video message asking for proof of life.
Law enforcement traced the phone line and found it was registered to Callella’s Gmail account and determined the call was made from his California home.
When federal agents arrived at his home, Callella reportedly admitted to sending the two text messages. Investigators later also found out that Callella had also reportedly called a family member about three minutes after the messages were sent, which records showed lasted nine seconds.
Federal authorities said the texts have not been linked to the ransom demand that has been reported by multiple outlets, including TMZ and Arizona’s Family sister station, KOLD 13 News.
Early Thursday, investigators said Nancy Guthrie’s blood was found on her porch after she was kidnapped from her Arizona home days ago.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in the morning he has no proof that the 84-year-old is still alive, but he is holding out hope she is “still out there.”
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