California Foster Son Charged with Murdering Cancer-Stricken Mother for Fortune
Prosecutors allege Cedric Von Ferdinand poisoned Nadine Jett with fentanyl and buried her on her property to gain control of her estate.
A California foster son has been charged with murder in the death of his cancer-stricken foster mother, whom prosecutors say he poisoned with fentanyl to steal her fortune. Cedric Von Ferdinand, 34, faces charges of murdering Nadine Jett, 65, who was battling pancreatic cancer when she died in January 2024.
Prosecutors allege that Von Ferdinand moved back into Jett's Valley Center ranch to care for her after her August 2023 cancer diagnosis, but instead plotted to seize her estate, which includes a 20-acre ranch and hundreds of thousands of dollars. He allegedly told Jett's family that she wished to travel to Mexico for treatment and be cremated without a service.
Jett was last seen on January 14, 2024, after leaving for a chemotherapy appointment. Von Ferdinand informed her loved ones that she had died in Mexico shortly thereafter. However, the San Diego County District Attorney's office stated that concerns arose when Von Ferdinand could not produce a death certificate, leading Jett's relatives to suspect foul play.
Murder charges were brought after an autopsy revealed a significant amount of fentanyl in Jett's system, with a medical examiner ruling her death as acute fentanyl toxicity. District Attorney Summer Stephan described the alleged murder as a case of "deadly greed."
Prosecutors claim that shortly after Jett's disappearance, Von Ferdinand obtained power of attorney for her estate using forged documents. He subsequently transferred ownership of two properties to himself and withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars from her accounts. Authorities also allege that Von Ferdinand attempted to arrange a marriage to himself using a woman impersonating Jett to gain further control of her assets, and purchased two homes in Los Angeles with her money.
Jett's four daughters reported her missing in June 2024, after becoming suspicious. In July 2025, sheriff's deputies discovered Jett's body wrapped in a bedsheet and buried in a hole on the property. Investigators believe the hole was dug on January 16, 2024, two days after Jett was last seen alive.
Stephan called Von Ferdinand's alleged plot "despicable," stating he "preyed on her in her time of need when she was suffering from cancer."
Raymond Joseph Alto, a 46-year-old notary public, has also been charged with assisting Von Ferdinand in fabricating marriage licenses and other documents. Tiffany and Bianca Lucci, two of Jett's foster daughters, expressed their grief and hope for justice at a press conference.
Von Ferdinand was previously charged with felony forgery and identity theft in connection with Jett's disappearance. He is scheduled for arraignment on murder charges in San Diego County on November 5. His attorney stated that Von Ferdinand maintains his innocence and his love for his mother.