Overview
- A house fire on the 200 block of 15th Street near Macdonald Avenue reported Tuesday killed four members of an extended Richmond family, including a 47-year-old father, his 33-year-old daughter and her two children ages 5 and 2.
- Police arrested 32-year-old Sergio Ivan Rivera-Vega at the scene and charged him with four counts of murder plus arson enhancements, and he is being held without bail at the Contra Costa County Jail.
- His initial court appearance was Monday and public defenders asked for more time, so his formal arraignment was pushed back and is now scheduled for Sept. 8.
- Court records reviewed by reporters show prior threats, a 2022 restraining order and a 2021 claim that he threatened to 'burn the house,' and the files note a past schizophrenia diagnosis that lawyers say will be central to questions about motive and competency.
- Neighbors have left a memorial and a family GoFundMe has raised roughly $68,000 to $70,000 for funerals and housing, and authorities say ongoing forensic work will be key to determining the fire’s sequence and how prosecutors proceed.