Nancy Guthrie: Trial Date Set For Derrick Callella Accused Of Fake Ransom Scam

The search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie entered its 82nd day, and it seems no closer to resolution, however an update relating to Derrick Callella, the man accused of allegedly capitalizing on the pain of the family with a ransom note hit true crime headlines this week. Read on for more details.

Contact Easily Traced

Derrick Callella, 42, who hails from Hawthorne, California, ended up arrested after allegedly sending fake ransom demands to Nancy’s family. The prosecutors claim Callella exploited the abduction case by contacting Nancy’s daughter, Annie Guthrie, and her husband, Tommaso Cioni, on February 4.

Per LA Times, he apparently “used a voice over internet protocol text and call application to surreptitiously reach out to the family.” Unfortunately for him, law enforcement quickly linked his phone number to his email address and, later, his residence.

The Fake Messages

Facts indicate that he sent more than one text message to Nancy Guthrie’s daughter, and additionally, Callella asked them whether they “got the bitcoin.” Plus, he claimed that the abductors waited for the transaction to go through.

Obviously, the information pertained to the records about the ransom that the press reported on. Well, folks dont think Derrick Callella was very bright, because according to News Nation Now, he claimed he merely tested the theory. The outlet cited him as saying he just did it “to see if the family would respond.”

Charged with “transmitting a demand for ransom in interstate commerce and using a telecommunications device to threaten or harass,” Derrick Callella first appeared in court in mid-February. The lastest update arrived via KVOA-TV this week. The oulet noted that the trial date for the ransom scam regarding Nancy Guthrie was set for June 23.

Viewers React

In the comments section on YouTube, a number of people pointed out that the accused person seemed “stupid.” Firstly, he seemed to think he could outsmart special agents who know what they are doing with forensic communications. And secondly, who in their right mind would jump into the middle of a high-profile investigation?

One true crime follower said, “Well! I just wonder LIKE WHY?”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion:

• I think a lot of people had forgotten all about him. I think if they dig really deep they will find out exactly how deep into this he is.
• I saw on another site he is friends with someone close to NG.

Meanwhile another follower wondered if it was “just a distraction from the real people who did it.”

Ongoing Investigation 

While the court case probaly doesn’t help in the search for Nancy Guthrie, there were some recent updates. Per Brian Entin, some hairs found at the home were finally sent for examination by the FBI. However, the results are not yet known.

Let us know what you think about the upcoming trial of Derrick Callella in the comments below, and remember to come back here often for all your true crime news and updates. Plus, we do have a crime channel on TikTok that you can follow.