Murder charges filed in deadly Esparto fireworks warehouse blast

Five people, including former Yolo County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant Samuel Machado, were indicted on murder charges for the July 1, 2025 explosion at an illegal fireworks warehouse near Esparto, California that killed seven people and injured two. The grand jury alleged the operation stored more than 1 million pounds of fireworks illegally and named four other murder defendants, with three additional individuals facing related charges for a total of eight people and about 30 charges overall, including conspiracy, illegal explosives possession, and insurance fraud. Machado’s wife Tammy was arrested but released on bail. Arraignments are scheduled in Yolo County on Monday; the blast disrupted Fourth of July celebrations in the area.