Overview
- Fire crews were dispatched at 12:51 a.m. on Dec. 27 to a Sunny Road home in Stockton and arrived to find the house engulfed in flames.
- Family members say 69-year-old Jose Villalta woke relatives, re-entered to reach his 14-year-old grandson, helped the boy out, and then did not survive.
- Officials reported at least four adults and two children had been inside the home and confirmed one adult was killed.
- The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s arson team determined the blaze was not arson, and investigators expect additional answers by the end of the week.
- Relatives launched a GoFundMe for funeral and temporary housing expenses, with outlets reporting differing totals ranging from nearly $13,000 to more than $17,000, and described Villalta as a retired custodian and migrant from El Salvador.