‘Milestone’ in Esparto blast investigation met with solemn, stern response
Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig gripped the podium as he faced rows of television cameras and reporters in his offices in Woodland.
He was about to detail the largest investigation in his nearly 20 years leading the office, but there was no smile on his face. The windowless room, filled with law books, was quiet. Eight county attorneys and investigators stood beside him, looking equally stern.
Reisig then took a deep breath.
On Friday, he formally announced the results of a sweeping criminal investigation into a fireworks explosion that killed seven people in Esparto last summer. Law enforcement officers arrested eight people, five of whom were charged with murder, after a grand jury issued indictments earlier this month.
It was the culmination of nine months of work by the office to pore over how more than 1 million pounds of explosive material were allowed to be stored in a warehouse and who was at fault for the deadly July 1 incident.
Yet there was no celebration or victory lap from Reisig — just a sense of relief.
“We’re tired,” he said, when asked about the emotions he and his colleagues were feeling. “This was a terrible, terrible event.”
He and his office were under immense pressure. With each passing month, family members grew more frustrated by the seeming lack of accountability for what happened. No family members of the victims were at the news conference in Woodland, but a video showing the names and photos of those who died played on a loop near Reisig.
“We heard the victims loud and clear,” he said. “Even though we weren’t telling them what we were doing, we had empathy for what was going on with them and our goal all along has just been, seek the truth and move the case along.”
At the same time, he shared a message to any family members who were watching a video feed: the marathon continues. Reisig said he expected years more of legal work as prosecutors try to prove their case against defense attorneys looking for any gaps in the investigation.
When the news conference ended, most of the attorneys and investigators filed out of the room while the video showing the victims continued to play. Reisig stayed to answer additional questions from reporters. He acknowledged the announcement was a “major milestone” but remained restrained.
“We have a long way to go.”
This story was originally published April 10, 2026 at 2:41 PM with the headline "‘Milestone’ in Esparto blast investigation met with solemn, stern response."
