Mathew Mustard Archives - Open Vallejo

Grainy black-and-white surveillance image shows Darryl Mefferd, handcuffed and wearing a Chicago Bulls shirt, leaning forward in the backseat of a police vehicle. He appears distressed. A timestamp in the upper-left corner reads “2016-12-07 23:54:12.”

‘I can’t breathe’: video shows death Vallejo police concealed for years

by Anna Bauman May 14, 2025May 15, 2025

A man in a white polo shirt and khaki pants stands outdoors beside a weathered building with red wooden shingles and broken windows. Tall dry grass surrounds him as he looks thoughtfully off to the side.

Mathew Mustard, of ‘American Nightmare’ infamy, retires from Vallejo

by Matthew Brown April 1, 2025April 1, 2025

A composite image titled "No Responsive Records," featuring grayscale portraits of five individuals who were killed in encounters with the Vallejo police. Each portrait captures distinct facial expressions, suggesting a personal story behind each individual. Below the images, the text reads, "How Vallejo Hid Killings by Police," highlighting investigative themes.

Open Vallejo wins journalism honor for exposing hidden killings by police

by Open Vallejo November 1, 2024November 1, 2024

Photo of a white car’s windshield marked with multiple bullet trajectory rods and labels, indicating the paths of shots fired into the vehicle. The image, dated September 6, 2012, shows an investigator leaning toward the passenger side, examining the scene.

Vallejo releases some police shooting evidence previously thought destroyed

by Anna Bauman October 10, 2024October 10, 2024

A portrait of Darryl Mefferd

The secret death of Darryl Dean Mefferd

by Laurence Du Sault June 10, 2024January 27, 2025

A young woman wearing a red top, red shoes and white and red pants holds a bright pink handwritten sign that reads, "Release the tapes!! Killer Cop" She stands in front of a large, off-white sedan from the 1980s or early 1990s. The background is dark and it appears to have been raining.

Senior officials ordered destruction of Vallejo police shooting evidence

by Laurence Du Sault and Geoffrey King February 5, 2023January 27, 2025

A young man and woman stand between their attorneys at an outdoor press conference.

Op-Ed

Disband the Vallejo Police Department

by Aaron Quinn December 15, 2021October 27, 2023