A valuable painting is missing after a woman was booked into the Fresno County Jail. Now her family is suing to get it back.

A spokesperson for the jail says the county doesn’t have it.

The mystery continues over the whereabouts of “Still Life with Two Pitchers,” by Robert Henry De Niro Sr., father of the famous actor. The daughter of the painting’s owner, the late Donna Nelson, filed a lawsuit in Fresno County Superior Court on Feb. 13.

The artwork, the lawsuit states, “became more famous and his work increased in value. This was no doubt due at least in part to the fact that the artist’s son became a famous and highly successful motion picture actor.”

The case is scheduled for a management conference on July 16 before Judge Maria G. Diaz.

CHP Arrests Woman

According to the lawsuit, the CHP arrested Donna Beth Nelson in Fresno County on May 31, 2024 following a vehicle pursuit. She was then booked in the Fresno County Jail, where she spent two days. No criminal charges were filed.

The lawsuit said Nelson, who lived in Vallejo, had a history of mental illness that had worsened in the months before the arrest.

The 1958 De Niro painting had been in the family’s possession for decades. De Niro used it as payment for legal services in New York City to Donna Nelson’s father, Roy Weiss, the lawsuit says.

“Donna removed the artwork from its frame and wrapped it in clothing, keeping it with her in her vehicle,” the lawsuit states.

Nelson died from cancer in 2025. Her daughter, Jennie Rose Nelson, filed the lawsuit to retrieve the painting and two bags of jewelry that are also missing.

“My client remembers it hanging in her grandparents’ apartment every summer when she went to visit,” attorney Carter White said. “It was the family heirloom.”

White said the elder Nelson made an inquiry for its return to no avail. Her family filed a claim with the county that was denied. The lawsuit claims two counts of negligence. They are seeking the return of the property.

The artwork is priceless, White said. Other De Niro art sold in the tens of thousands, he said.

“It had a lot of sentimental value for this family, and they were really hoping they can get it back,” White said.

White is the supervising attorney at the King Hall Civil Rights Clinic at UC Davis, which took the case.

Where’s the Art?

Tony Botti, a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, said he had no comment on the lawsuit.

He said “it’s possible” the artwork is still with the CHP.

“I have been unable to locate a record of it being booked into the jail,” Botti said.

The county has not filed a response in court.

Fresno CHP spokesperson Officer Mike Salas said the Modesto CHP towed the car.

Officer Thomas Olsen of the Modesto CHP said the chase started in Fresno County but ended at a gas station in Patterson when Nelson surrendered and was taken into custody.

The CHP took inventory of the 2021 Toyota SUV. Olsen said the car was “very full of stuff.” The log, Olsen said, lists items generally. It included “pictures” but did not provide a more detailed description.

The vehicle was towed to Patterson City Tow with the contents inside, Olsen said.

Patterson Tow said they released the vehicle to Donna Nelson on June 9, 2024.

“My sister picked up the car, according to her. The painting was not inside. I do not have personal knowledge as to the vehicle’s contents upon retrieval. My mother was hospitalized at that point,” Jennie Rose Nelson said.

The younger Nelson said the pending legal proceedings are “taking an emotional toll. I’m considering voluntary dismissal,” she said.

Artist De Niro

De Niro (1922-1993) was a post-World War II artist in New York City, blending abstract and expressionist styles, according to his bio on his estate’s webpage.

He and his wife, Virginia Admiral, had a circle of friends that included famous writers Henry Miller and Tennessee Williams.

“De Niro created canvases that were alive with energy and widely popular,” his estate bio said.

His style fell out of favor in the 1960s. De Niro moved to Paris for a few years. When he returned to New York, he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1968.

De Niro later taught art and continued to exhibit his works until his death in 1993.