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All 7 Esparto fireworks warehouse explosion victims identified by Yolo County coroner

By
Ashley Sharp
Ashley Sharp
Your Yolo and Solano County Reporter. Ashley Sharp is a reporter at CBS13 who moved all the way from her home state of Tennessee to California.
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Ashley Sharp,
Cecilio Padilla
Digital Producer, CBS Sacramento
Cecilio Padilla is a digital producer for CBS Sacramento and a Sacramento-area native who has been covering Northern California for more than a decade.
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Cecilio Padilla

/ CBS Sacramento

Yolo County authorities have officially identified all seven of the people who died in the Esparto fireworks warehouse explosion. 

On Friday, the Yolo County Sheriff's Office announced that they had completed a DNA analysis of the remains found following the July 1 incident at Devastating Pyrotechnics.

The following people have been identified:

Angel Mathew Voller, 18, of Stockton, CA
Carlos Javier Rodriguez-Mora, 43, of San Andreas, CA
Neil Justin Li, 41, of San Francisco, CA
Joel Jeremias Melendez, 28, of Sacramento, CA
Christopher Goltiao Bocog, 45, of San Francisco, CA
Jesus Manaces Ramos, 18, of San Pablo, CA
Jhony Ernesto Ramos, 22, of San Pablo, CA

No official cause of death has been determined at this time, the sheriff's office says. Family had already identified a number of the victims to the media, including the Ramos family and the Melendez family, both of whom shared their stories with CBS Sacramento. 

On Friday, a candlelight memorial was attended by more than a hundred people to remember all seven men who lost their lives. 

"The kids are just struggling a little. It comes in waves. One minute they're fine, the next they're not. All we can do is hug them and tell them, looking at the sky, daddy is watching from heaven. When the wind blows in your face, Daddy is holding you. It's just been a hard time for them," said Darlene Sanchez, a close family friend of victim Carlos Rodriguez. 

Rodriguez' wife, children and loved ones attended the memorial Friday to feel close to him and the other families that are grieving. Sanchez says it helps them not feel so alone in their pain. xx

"Because the kids, one said to me, 'Auntie, I didn't get to say goodbye to my dad. I was already asleep when he went to work.' What do you say? They're thinking of all the things, my daddy won't be at my birthday. Are we gonna celebrate daddy's birthday?" Sanchez said. 

The families continue to push for answers in the investigation, wanting to know what happened and who is going to be held responsible. 

"We want justice. We want someone to be held accountable for this, which I'm sure will come in the end. But in this moment, it's just heart-wrenching," Sanchez said. 

Attorneys for the Ramos family told CBS Sacramento that while the news Friday of the positive identifications of the victims has brought some closure, there are "deeply troubling questions" that remain unanswered.

"Our legal team is actively reviewing the circumstances surrounding the explosion, including the potential involvement of individuals connected to local law enforcement and emergency services, as well as the reported absence of necessary permits and licenses by the facility's owners," said the attorneys with Younessi Law in a statement. 

As CBS13 has previously reported, Yolo County Sheriff's Lieutenant Sam Machado owned the property where the unpermitted warehouse sat. In addition, Esparto volunteer firefighter Craig Cutright worked there and owned another fireworks company with the same address listed as Devastating Pyrotechnics.

On Monday, the Yolo County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Machado and his wife, who worked in an administrative role with the department, were both recently placed on administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation.

The attorneys added that they are evaluating potential governmental liability.

Right now, no one is charged with a crime. An investigation into the explosion by the Office of the State Fire Marshal is still ongoing. 

Friday, Yolo County also with information regarding the ongoing response. 

Officials said that as of Friday they have started cleaning up hazardous materials at the scene, which still remains blocked off to the general public and media. The cleanup will be going on 24/7 for the next four to five days, according to the county. 

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