The Alameda County Coroner's Bureau needs help identifying the remains of 155 people – including two Napans – that were recently found in a Hayward warehouse.
Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.Â
The remains include one body and the cremated remains of 154 people. Five other bodies found in the space have already been identified.
Authorities believe the remains were put in the warehouse between 2013 and 2021 by Oceanview Cremations, which has had its license suspended since March 2018, the coroner's bureau said in a statement.
Oceanview Cremations was prohibited from storing remains on its premises. Nevertheless, it continued operations and kept remains in the warehouse, which was also banned.
The coroner's bureau and county-contracted Grissom's Mortuary recovered the remains March 1. Officials identified five bodies and contacted families, advising them of the investigation.
People are also reading…
Family members said calls to Oceanview Cremations' owner, Robert Smith, went unanswered. Many believed their loved ones were cremated or scattered at sea as requested.
No information was available on the unidentified body, though the coroner's office said they came to the funeral home between 2020 and 2021.
Five of the deceased bodies came from Alameda County and the sixth from Sonoma County. The coroner's office took possession of two of the deceased, Grissom's Mortuary took four decedents and the cremated remains.
Grissom's Mortuary has since sorted and alphabetized the cremated remains: 64 are from Alameda County, 23 are from San Francisco, 15 from San Mateo County, 10 from Contra Costa County, nine from Santa Clara County, one from Fresno County, nine from Marin County, two from Napa County, one from Placer County, one from Sacramento County, two from Stanislaus County, three from San Joaquin County, four from Santa Cruz County, two from Solano County, and eight from Sonoma County.
Officials say people who did business with Oceanview Cremations with final arrangements for a loved one between 2013 and 2022 and are uncertain of their remains should contact the Alameda County Coroner's Bureau at 510-382-3000.
CALIFORNIA WINTER STORM RAIN FLOODING ATMOSPHERIC RIVER
Photos: Napa Valley Faces and Places, March 12, 2023
The cast of "August: Osage County" rehearse a scene for Valley Players' March production on Feb. 7 at Randi Storm's home. Seated from left to right are Anna Li, Craig Rekdahl, Christina Julian, Georgia Taylor, Nancy Heine, Rhonda Bowen, Richard Pallaziol, Michael Hunter and Kira Tavakoli. Seen standing from left to right are Martin Kassman, Scott Slagle, Dan Monez and Randi Storm.
Napa Sunrise Rotary honored the Student of the Month from Napa High School. Pictured from left to right are Rotarian sponsor Alyssa Pardini, Rotarian co-sponsor Chris Craiker, proud mom Kim, student of the month Tyler, teacher from Napa High School Phil and club President Paul Oseso.
Napa Sunrise Rotarian Jim Collins seen welcoming a new member Bill Stefani to the club on Feb. 9 at the Silverado Country Club.
Snow in the Napa Valley. Photo by Joan Wayne.
Congratulations to longtime Napan Kevin Courtney, who just celebrated his 50th anniversary with the Napa Valley Register. Kevin wrote about his 50 years in his March 5 "Napa Journal" column.
