Federal authorities arrested Derrick Callella in Hawthorne, California, not for the actual disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, but for attempting to exploit her family with fake ransom messages. Using VOIP texts and Bitcoin demands, he tried to see if the family would respond, essentially testing whether he could profit from their grief. Callella has a history of financial fraud, including alleged unemployment benefit theft.
Authorities clarified his actions were separate from the real ransom note sent to Tucson media, which remains under active investigation. The primary focus is still locating Nancy Guthrie, 84, mother of Savannah Guthrie. The FBI continues to offer a $50,000 reward for information leading to her safe return.
In short: Callella is an opportunistic fraudster, not the kidnapper, but his arrest removes a distraction so investigators can focus on finding Nancy.