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## **FBI Arrests LA Man Over Fake Ransom Texts Sent to Guthrie Family
Earlier this week, federal authorities made an arrest in connection with one of the most widely discussed and unsettling missing-person cases in recent American news: the disappearance of **84-year-old Nancy Guthrie**, mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie. While the focus remains on finding the senior Guthrie and unravelling the circumstances of her disappearance, a disturbing subplot — one of exploitation, opportunism, and federal intervention — emerged with the arrest of a **42-year-old Los Angeles County resident, Derrick Callella**.([CBS News][1])
Callella’s arrest isn’t for the alleged abduction itself, but for allegedly **sending fraudulent ransom text messages to Guthrie’s family**, demanding Bitcoin payments in connection to the case. The alleged scam has drawn widespread condemnation and renewed attention to how high-profile investigations intersect with modern communications, digital currencies, and law enforcement priorities.([The Daily Beast][2])
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### **A Break in the Case — of a Different Kind**
When news of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance first broke at the end of January, it quickly became one of the nation’s most urgent missing-person investigations. Guthrie was last seen on the night of January 31st at her home in Catalina Foothills, near Tucson, Arizona. She had been dropped off by family members after dinner, only to be reported missing the next day when she failed to show up for a church service. Authorities and family members described the case as suspicious from the outset — her **wallet, car, phone, hearing aid, and medication were left behind**, and blood matching her DNA was found near her front porch.([AP News][3])
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