Public Safety · Sacramento, CA
Sacramento Police Restraint Death: Daughter Pursues Federal Lawsuit
On November 17, 2024, 66-year-old Nyota Koya of Roseville lost consciousness after Sacramento police officer Matthew Sterling forcibly removed her from a car at Haggin Oaks Golf Course and restrained her on the ground. Koya died a week later at Mercy San Juan Medical Center; the coroner listed cause of death as complications of pulmonary thromboembolism due to deep vein thrombosis, classifying manner of death as natural. Her daughter Nathifa Wright filed a federal civil lawsuit in September 2025 against the city of Sacramento, the Sacramento Police Department, Sterling, and Police Chief Katherine Lester, alleging false detention, excessive force, and wrongful death. The case is being heard at Sacramento's United States District Court before Magistrate Judge Chi Soo Kim. The city confirmed Sterling remains employed but declined to comment on pending litigation; nearly two years after the incident, no public record of officer discipline has been released.