A California foster son allegedly moved back home to care for his cancer-stricken mother so he could poison her and steal her fortune, prosecutors say.
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prosecutors → move → fortune
Cedric Von Ferdinand, 34, was charged last week with murdering his foster mother Nadine Jett, 65, during her fight against pancreatic cancer in January 2024.
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Ferdinand → charge → January
Jett was diagnosed with cancer in August 2023, and when she learned she would undergo gruelling chemotherapy, her foster child Cedric volunteered to move in to help her at her ranch in Valley Center, California.
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child → diagnose → Center
While the move appeared to be a generous act from a concerned family member, Von Ferdinand was allegedly plotting to take over Jett's estate, including stealing her 20-acre ranch and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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Ferdinand → appear → dollars
Soon after moving in, Von Ferdinand allegedly told Jett's loved ones that she wanted to go to Mexico for special treatment, and said she wanted to be cremated without a funeral service when she eventually died.
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she → move → service
Prosecutors said Jett was last seen leaving for a chemotherapy appointment on January 14, 2024, and Von Ferdinand told Jett's loved ones that she had tragically died in Mexico soon after.
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she → say → Mexico
However, Von Ferdinand allegedly raised concerns because he could not produce a death certificate, and Jett's other relatives 'began to smell a rat' and suspected the foster son of foul play, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan told a press conference.
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Stephan → raise → conference
Von Ferdinand had previously been charged with felony counts of forgery and identity theft related to Jett's disappearance, but he had been out of custody when prosecutors announced murder charges against him on Wednesday.
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prosecutors → charge → Wednesday
Prosecutors said they brought murder charges after an autopsy found a large amount of fentanyl in Jett's system, and a medical examiner ruled that she died of acute fentanyl toxicity.
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she → say → toxicity
Cedric Von Ferdinand, 34, allegedly moved back home to his cancer-stricken foster mother to poison her and steal her fortune, prosecutors say
Nadine Jett was diagnosed with cancer in August 2023, before her foster son allegedly poisoned her with fentanyl and buried her on her ranch
Announcing the charges against Von Ferdinand, Stephan described Jett's alleged murder as 'a case of deadly greed' at a press conference.
Prosecutors said soon after Jett went missing, Von Ferdinand was given power of attorney over her estate through documents that bore her signature and initials.
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that → move → signature
Von Ferdinand then allegedly transferred ownership of two of Jett's properties to himself, and drained her bank accounts of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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Ferdinand → transfer → dollars
In a brazen move, Von Ferdinand then allegedly hatched a plan to enlist a woman to pose as Jett, so that he could 'marry' his foster mother and take further control of her fortune, prosecutors said.
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prosecutors → hatch → fortune
Von Ferdinand also allegedly purchased two homes in Los Angeles with Jett's money.
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Ferdinand → purchase → money
Prosecutors said that although Jett was said to have died in Mexico, her four daughters grew suspicious and reported her as missing to the police in June 2024.
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daughters → say → June
In July 2025, sheriff's deputies found Jett's body wrapped in a bedsheet and buried in a hole near her home.
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deputies → find → home
Jett was allegedly murdered while she was battling pancreatic cancer
Cedric Von Ferdinand was previously hit with felony identity theft and forgery related to his foster mother's death, before the charges were upgraded to murder last week
Work crews seen excavating the hole where Jett's body was found on her California ranch
Authorities allegedly found Von Ferdinand had hired someone to dig a six-foot-by-six-foot hole on the property in Valley Center on January 16, 2024, two days after Jett was last seen alive.
Announcing the murder charges on Wednesday, Stephan described Von Ferdinand's alleged plot as 'despicable.'
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Stephan → murder → plot
'What happened here is a deadly tragedy and it’s time for accountability,' Stephan said.
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Stephan → happen → accountability
'His deadly greed led to this horrific homicide.'
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greed → lead → homicide
'He preyed on her in her time of need when she was suffering from cancer.
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she → prey → cancer
Tiffany Lucci, another of Jett's adopted daughters, pictured crying as prosecutors brought charges against Von Ferdinand
Prosecutors also charged Escondido-based notary public Raymond Joseph Alto, 46, with helping Von Ferdinand to fake the marriage license and other documents.
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Ferdinand → adopt → license
'She was that mom we needed,' Bianca Lucci, told NBC San Diego.
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Lucci → need → NBC
'She gave us a fair chance at life.'
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She → give → life
'I’m glad justice will finally be served.
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justice → ’m → ?
I do believe that this was all out of greed and money and it’s just sad.
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it → believe → greed
Von Ferdinand is set to be arraigned on murder charges in San Diego County, California, on November 5.
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Ferdinand → set → November
He has not yet pleaded to the murder charges.
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He → plead → charges
In a statement to the San Diego Union Tribune, Von Ferdinand's attorney Ashley Mangold said he 'maintains his innocence and, most importantly, his love for his mother.'
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he → say → mother
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