San Jose, CA — In a San Jose courtroom on Friday, family and friends of 51-year-old Christopher Tran, a beloved local businessman, came face-to-face with Yessenia Estrada, the 35-year-old woman accused of killing him by setting a building on fire.
Estrada, who has been charged with arson and manslaughter, is accused of deliberately starting the fire on July 13 at a commercial building where Tran owned a design shop. Tran died in the fire after being trapped inside the building for several hours.
His mother, Vickie Huynh, spoke emotionally after the arraignment, describing the heartbreaking images of her son trapped in the fire. “I’m shaking and I feel like I can’t breathe. Every time I close my eyes thinking the building burned my son for four, five hours, that’s… I’m speechless,” Huynh said.
Estrada, who was reportedly homeless and known to cause disturbances in the area, was arrested in connection with the fatal fire. Huynh expressed concern about how the city handles homelessness, urging better care for individuals in need. “The reason I want to raise my voice is to let the city know to do a better job to take care of the homeless people,” she said.
Loved ones of Tran, who was an avid cyclist, swimmer, and hiker, called the tragedy avoidable. Brian Clampitt, a close friend of Tran for 35 years, stated, “We need to find justice for Chris, so this is the beginning of that process.”
Tran’s father also shared his grief, saying, “We love him very much, his loss is too much for us.”
Tran’s family and friends will return to court next Thursday for Estrada’s plea hearing.
