Photo source: Yolanda Bustos Ramirez’s obituary.
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff-Coroner
At the request of the Contra Costa County District Attorney on April 17, 2026, Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston held an inquest into the death of 72-year-old Yolanda Ramirez of Brentwood on July 15, 2026. This incident occurred on October 3, 2025, in Contra Costa County, while she was in the hospital following her arrest by Brentwood Police on Sept. 26, 2025. (See related articles here, here and here)
The proceedings took place at 9:00 AM at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse at 725 Court Street, Martinez, California.
The purpose of the inquest was to present the facts of the incident to a jury for their deliberation and finding on the manner of death.
Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announced on Wednesday, July 15, that a coroner’s jury reached a finding in the death of Ramirez. The finding of the jury is that the manner of death is accident.
The coroner’s jury reached the verdict in the inquest after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by Hearing Officer Laura Pagey.
A coroner’s inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving law enforcement personnel, is a public hearing during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: Accident, Suicide, Natural Causes or At the hands of another person other than by accident.
The inquest was open to the public and members of the media were invited to attend. However, no photographs, audio recordings or videos could be taken during the proceedings.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
I sat in as public was allowed. In full disclosure I had been a part of nearly every city council meeting the family attended., Assisting in the verbal push for the Inquest to occur. A small win for the family was the split decision of the jury, who were visibly moved by the footage shared.. I believe had the Inquest been more balanced bringing in the second pathologist to speak on their autopsy report, and had the opportunity to answer questions from the commissioner. The decision of accident may have indeed leaned more towards at the hands of another. But as law enforcement investigates themselves so do they set the boundaries, for whom they allow to join witness statements or testimonials..
It is a small win that the findings are changed from natural causes to accidental. Leaving room for the District Attorneys office to consider charging officer Peachman and orTjhia
For the negligence and use of force on an elder citizen. All over a 12 dollar coffee cup. Which is the crime she had been originally accused of. Meanwhile the elder abuse she was try to prevent of her older brother, has also been left to continue. The cause in both cases the sister who called the police in the first place. If the District Attorney does what’s right we will see charges soon. But there are other avenues being pursued as well. Justice for Yolanda Ramirez is a Facebook group where interested publuc and supporters can follow Her Justice fight. Yolanda has historic ties to the city of Brentwood being a lifelong resident she should have been treated with a greater more amount of respect from Brentwood PD the emergency responders and the city government as a whole.
This is terr
This is terrible what happened to this woman
God is watching