Cedric Von Ferdinand, 34, was charged Wednesday with murdering his foster mother after an autopsy revealed lethal levels of fentanyl in her body.
The San Diego County medical examiner ruled Nadine Jett’s death a homicide by acute fentanyl toxicity, overturning the story Von Ferdinand had told Jett’s other foster children for months. Von Ferdinand, who had served as the 65-year-old attorney’s caregiver during her pancreatic cancer treatment, initially claimed Jett died in Mexico and had been cremated there. He could never produce a death certificate.
By January 2024, Jett had already been undergoing chemotherapy when she vanished. Von Ferdinand allegedly kept her foster daughters away with repeated excuses when they tried to visit. “He preyed on her in her time of need when she was suffering from cancer,” San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said. “It is quite despicable.”
The foster sisters, known as the Lucci quadruplets, eventually reported Jett missing in June 2024. Their suspicion had grown as Von Ferdinand produced documents granting him power of attorney that somehow carried Jett’s signature and initials. He then allegedly drained thousands from her accounts, transferred two of her properties into his own name, and used her money to buy additional real estate in Los Angeles County.
Von Ferdinand’s scheme extended to a forged marriage, according to prosecutors. He allegedly recruited Kim Fifer to impersonate Jett so he could “marry” his foster mother and tighten his grip on her assets. A notarized marriage license dated May 18, 2024, was later found in his home. Escondido notary public Raymond Joseph Alto, 46, is also charged in connection with the fake documents.
The physical evidence of Jett’s fate emerged in July 2025, when sheriff’s deputies discovered her body wrapped in a bedsheet and buried in a hole just 30 feet from her Valley Center home. Investigators determined Von Ferdinand had hired someone to dig that 6-foot-by-6-foot grave on January 16, 2024 — the same month he told foster sisters that Jett had died peacefully in Mexico.
“This is a case of deadly greed,” Stephan said. “What happened here is a deadly tragedy and it’s time for accountability.”
Von Ferdinand had already faced dozens of felony counts including forgery and identity theft but had remained out of custody until the murder charge. “His deadly greed led to this horrific homicide,” Stephan continued. “This is a case of greed. He never cared about Nadine, and now he gets to sit and rot in jail.”
The Lucci sisters, who had cycled through 10 foster homes before Jett took them in, have been outspoken about their loss. “She was the mom we needed. She gave us a fair chance at life,” Bianca Lucci said San Diego. “I’m glad justice will finally be served. I do believe that this was all out of greed and money and it’s just sad.”
Tiffany Lucci added her own blunt assessment: “This is a case of greed. He never cared about Nadine, and now he gets to sit and rot in jail.”
Von Ferdinand was scheduled for arraignment at Vista Courthouse in San Diego County on the murder charge Thursday. Fifer and Alto also face charges connected to the fraudulent marriage license and other forged paperwork.