Richmond house fire: Final victim dies of injuries days after tragic blaze
Sergio Rivera Vega, 32, suspected in house fires set on Aug. 18, 2026 in Richmond, Calif.
RICHMOND, Calif. - Richmond police on Saturday afternoon confirmed that a 33-year-old woman who was injured in a blaze that killed her father and her two children has died of her wounds.
What we know
32-year-old Sergio Ivan Rivera-Vega – the woman’s brother – was arrested shortly after the Tuesday fire and faces counts of murder with special enhancements, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office.
The other victims who died in the blaze were his father, 47-year-old Jose Rivera, his 5-year-old grandson, Andrew, and 2-year-old granddaughter, Joline. The young children are the suspect's niece and nephew.
Suspect faced mental health challenges, family says
Authorities believe Rivera-Vega intentionally set the fire, though a motive was not known.
Anselmo Rivera, the brother of the oldest victim, said Rivera-Vega is his nephew and suffers from mental health issues. According to Anselmo, Rivera-Vega had made verbal threats against the family last month.
The Source: Richmond Police Department, previous KTVU reporting