Police warn against money scam linked to Nancy Guthrie investigation

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is warning the public about a money scam linked to their investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.

In a post shared to X on Tuesday, police confirmed knowledge of the scam and urged the public not to send anyone money.

“The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is aware of posts circulating about the Guthrie Investigation that include a QR code requesting money,” Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff, said.

“PCSD will never ask for money related to this case, or any investigation. Please do not send money to people you do not know or scan QR codes requesting payment,” he added. “If you see one of these posts, ignore it and report it. Stay alert and help spread the word.”

1:37 Ransom note linked to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance claims she has died

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Authorities believe Guthrie, 84, was taken against her will after they found blood near the doorstep of her home in the foothills outside Tucson, Ariz., in February. The FBI later released surveillance videos showing a masked man on the porch that night.

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This isn’t the first scam that has been linked to the Guthrie case.

Earlier this month, a 42-year-old California man pleaded guilty to sending a fake ransom note to Guthrie’s family following her disappearance.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, announced that Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, Calif., pleaded guilty to two counts of Harassment Using a Telecommunication Device.

In Callella’s plea, he admitted that he called and sent text messages to a missing person’s family on Feb. 4, 2026, asking about a bitcoin transfer, according to the news release.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said that Callella acknowledged that he knew an earlier ransom demand had been made.

Callella also admitted that his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said a conviction for Harassment Using a Telecommunication Device carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, and one year of supervised release.

The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office is conducting the investigation.

Sentencing for Callella is scheduled for Sept. 10, 2026, before United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker.

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Last month, Guthrie’s daughter Savannah said her family remains “in agony” as the search for her mother continues.

She spoke out about her mother’s disappearance on the Today show after reports that the second ransom note previously sent to a media outlet claimed that her mother was dead.

NBC News shared the details about the ransom note and Savannah told her Today show co-hosts that she didn’t “have any comment on the story.”

“I wanted to just take the opportunity to ask people, really to beg people, to come forward. Somebody knows something,” she said on the show.

“This is a new story that today is on your radar, but this is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives, that our extended families live, that our children live every day. And we are in agony and we cannot be at peace.”

She said that no matter how much she tries to “come out here every day and to smile and find that joy,” this is the moment she needs viewers to know that “we need your help.”

“We’re begging for your help. And I’m not going to miss that opportunity,” she said.

“So please, if you’re watching, no matter how small the reward is there,” Savannah added, referencing the US$1-million reward she previously offered for any information on her mother’s disappearance.

Savannah said tips can remain anonymous and urged the public to “please do the right thing.”