Home / Crime and Justice / FBI Probes Fake Ransom Notes in Guthrie Kidnapping Case
FBI Probes Fake Ransom Notes in Guthrie Kidnapping Case
2 Jul
Summary
- FBI investigating Guthrie's disappearance as kidnapping for ransom.
- Several purported ransom notes were extortion attempts by imposters.
- The elderly woman vanished from her Tucson, Arizona home in January.
The FBI is actively investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, as a kidnapping for ransom. Despite initial reports, investigators have determined that several purported ransom notes were actually extortion attempts by imposters. Some of these fraudulent communications have been dismissed as not credible.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her Tucson, Arizona home on January 31. She has frail health and limited mobility. Relatives discovered her missing after she failed to appear at church. Essential items like her wallet, cellphone, and medication were left behind, and DNA tests confirmed blood found on her porch was hers.
While the FBI acknowledges some notes are fake, they emphasize that other ransom demands may be legitimate and are still being investigated. One individual, Derrick Callella, was previously charged with harassment for sending a fake ransom demand via text message to Guthrie's family. His case was scheduled for a change-of-plea hearing on Thursday in federal court in Tucson.
