*Updated* 11:21 am, 5/3/23
Law enforcement authorities reported that a manhunt for a suspect, Francisco Oropesa, accused of gunning down five innocent people, all neighbors and one 9-year-old child among them, has been found and captured.
Oropesa has been on the run since the murders occurred Late Friday. Authorities reported the following day that Oropesa was surrounded within an approximate square mile wooded area and was anticipating Oropesa’s capture by the end of the day.
However, Oropesa was able to slip through the search team’s fingers and remained at large as of the early morning hours earlier today. Authorities believed to have been on Oropesa’s heels, but search dogs lost the scent in a nearby body of water. Authorities have also freely admitted that at one point they “have no idea where he is.”
Also charged is Divimara Lamar Nava, 53, and the spouse of Oropesa, for ‘hindering apprehension’. Authorities reported that Nava helped Oropesa hid in her home where he was captured after a tip from an unknown source was received.
Sheriff Capers, who’s been the lead Sheriff during the manhunt, told the press, “He was caught hiding in a closet underneath some laundry. They have effectively made the arrest, he is uninjured.” He continued, “He will now be taken to my jail where his new residence will be.”
Oropesa is facing five counts of murder.
*Updated* 10:58 am, 4/30/23
The manhunt for a suspect accused of gunning down five neighbors over a noise complaint has gone cold. Law enforcement authorities reported they had the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Mexican national Francisco Oropeza, surrounded in a square mile area and expected to have him in custody by the end of yesterday.
However, search police dogs lost the scent in a nearby bed of water. Police have expanded the search area to as much as 10 or 20 miles, “depending on whether or not he crossed the highline wire,” Sheriff Capers said.
Additional Incident Details
The husband of one of the victims, Wilson Garcia spoke to local media and gave his account of the deadly shooting.
“We had company. We were going to make something to eat, the guy, came out, and he was shooting. We asked him to be quiet ’cause my baby was scared. I never thought that he would shoot. Then he went room to room, looking for people,” Garcia said. “He couldn’t catch up to me. The bullets were hitting (everywhere).”
Garcia told the suspect he was going to call police, but before he could the suspect entered the house and began shooting.
The Houston area FBI released an image of Oropeza and is urging residents to be cautious and vigilant as the suspect is considered armed and dangerous. If you want to report a tip please call 936 653 4367.
A manhunt is underway for a Mexican national accused of shooting and killing five neighbors execution style after being asked to stop firing rifle.
San Jacinto County, TX: It’s been reported that multiple gruesome murders took place in a southeastern Texas town and a manhunt is currently under way as a suspect has been identified.
The suspect, Francisco Oropeza, 39, a Mexican national, is accused of gunning down neighbors after they asked him to stop firing his rifle late Friday night. According to authorities, the neighbors asked Oropeza to cease firing because there was a baby trying to sleep. It was also reported that Oropeza was drunk at the time.
According to Jacinto County Sheriff, Sheriff Capers, he told the local media station KTRK, “One of the victims came out of the house and said, ‘hey, we have a small baby that’s trying to sleep’. And the man said, ‘I’ll shoot out in my front yard, I do what I want to in my own residence.'”
Children Involved
Authorities also report that after the request, Oropeza approached the neighbors home shortly thereafter. He allegedly went to the front door, shot the first victim, proceeded to enter the home where he shot two more people in the living room area, then went upstairs where he killed two more people. A 8-year-old boy was one of the five victims and two other children survived. The surviving children are currently under custody of local authorities.
It was also reported that several of the victims were found atop young children to shield them from the gunfire.
Police have already identified Oropeza as the suspect and currently have him surrounded in a nearby wooded area, but have yet to get him in custody.
Police teams and search dogs are currently canvassing the area and anticipate finding Oropeza by the end of the day.
No photo is currently available for Oropeza.
Sheriff Capers told KTRK, “Nobody should ever have to witness this. Nobody should ever have to live through this.”
According to a Fox News column, it wrote, “Just before midnight, deputies with the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to respond to a call for ‘harassment’ at the 100 block of Walters Road in the Trails End area of Cleveland, about 50 miles north of Houston.”
The Fox News column continued, “En route to the scene, the sheriff’s office received multiple 911 calls about an active shooter at the location. Upon arriving, officers discovered five people had been shot at the residence, police said.”
Local authorities are asking to public to avoid the area as the manhunt continues.
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