Guthrie Family Renews Plea to Kidnapper, Suspect Arrested in Extortion Attempt

Family's Renewed Plea for Nancy Guthrie's Safe Return

• 📣 The Guthrie family has issued a second public plea to the individual(s) holding Nancy Guthrie hostage, urging them to make contact.
• 🗣️ Cameron Guthrie, Nancy's son and a retired F-16 fighter pilot, delivered a direct message in a video, stating, "We need you to reach out and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward."
• 💔 Despite the plea being viewed over a million times and shared extensively, there has been no direct communication from the alleged captors.

Ransom Note and Extortion Attempts

• 📝 A ransom note containing private details about Nancy Guthrie and her home is being taken seriously by the FBI, prompting the family's initial public statement.
• ⚠️ The family is seeking proof of life for 84-year-old Nancy, who was abducted on Sunday morning.
• 📞 The FBI has confirmed receiving multiple ransom notes and text messages, identifying some as extortion attempts by imposters.

Suspect Arrested in Extortion Scheme

• 🚨 Derek Kala, 42, was arrested in Hawthorne by the FBI in connection with texting messages to Guthrie's daughter and son-in-law demanding Bitcoin.
• 💻 The text messages were traced to Kala's computer and email, and he reportedly admitted to sending them and making a brief phone call to a family member.
• ⚖️ Kala is also facing grand theft charges in Los Angeles for allegedly submitting nearly $10,000 in false unemployment claims.

Ongoing Investigation and Public Appeal

• 🔍 The FBI is conducting a detailed analysis of various data, including traffic cameras, cell phone records, and home security footage, to locate Nancy Guthrie.
• 💰 A reward of $50,000 has been increased, and billboards are being placed across the Tucson area to solicit public assistance.
• ⏳ Investigators have released a timeline, narrowing down the window during which Nancy Guthrie is believed to have been forcibly removed from her home.