SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA –– “In January of 2024, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office received a report that 47-year-old Matthew Clark was missing after he had an argument with his live-in girlfriend, later identified as 38-year-old Sofia Fermin.
The caller, Fermin’s brother, believed Fermin had something to do with the disappearance as she recently sold Clark’s pickup truck and other property. Sheriff’s Missing Persons Detectives took on the case and began their investigation. In June of 2024, Clark’s pickup truck was located in San Joaquin County by the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office. Sacramento County Sheriff’s Detectives recovered the vehicle and requested that it be processed. Fingerprints belonging to 42-year-old Jerry Mulford were discovered inside the vehicle.
Missing Persons Detectives spoke with Fermin at the Main Jail when she was in custody for an unrelated incident. She stated she was unsure of Clark’s whereabouts but later said that he was likely in a rehabilitation facility somewhere in California.
In September of 2024, Homicide Detectives took over the investigation and began their investigation into the disappearance of Clark. Through their investigation from numerous interviews and warrants, detectives believed Fermin had shot Clark after an argument in December of 2023. They learned that his body was likely buried on a property on the 100 block of U Street in Rio Linda.
In December of 2024, Sheriff’s Detectives and the FBI Evidence Response Team served a search warrant at the property and discovered a shallow grave in the southeast corner of the property.
Deputies found a mummified male body, which was recovered by the Coroner’s Office. The autopsy confirmed the body was indeed Clark. The forensic pathologist identified at least five gunshot wounds to his person, and his death was ruled as a homicide. Sheriff’s Homicide Detectives subsequently obtained an arrest warrant for Sofia Fermin for Murder (PC 187) and Mulford for his role as an Accessory After the Fact (PC 32).
On December 23, 2024, Deputies located Fermin at her residence in Sacramento and took her into custody. She is currently at the Sacramento County Main Jail, where she remains ineligible for bail, and her next court appearance is scheduled for March 27.
Mulford has yet to be located and is believed to have fled out of state. He has an active felony warrant related to this case. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts and/or this investigation is urged to contact the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office at (916) 874-5115 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP. Tips leading to an arrest are eligible for a CASH reward of up to $1000, and tipsters remain anonymous. Tips are paid in cash, and you are never asked for identification. Contact Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357), 1-800-AA-CRIME, or **TIPS. Use the “P3 TIPS” app or online at www.sacvalleycrimestoppers.com. Tip information may also be left anonymously at www.sacsheriff.com or by calling (916) 874-TIPS (8477).”
