Police Announce More Arrests in Case of Illegal Immigrant Accused of 5 Murders - Did He Have Help?
Multiple arrests have been made in connection with the case of Francisco Oropesa, who faces murder charges in the Friday night killings of five people in Cleveland, Texas.
According to the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began late at night when the 38-year-old Mexican national was asked by a neighbor to stop firing a rifle in his yard because an infant in the next house was trying to sleep, Fox News reported.
“The suspect said something along the lines of, ‘It’s his property, he’ll do whatever he pleased on his property,’” Sheriff Greg Capers said. “The man went back into the house. Next thing they know, he’s walking up the driveway with rifle in hand.”
Authorities say Oropesa — an illegal immigrant with multiple deportations — shot and killed five people at the house, including an 8-year-old child.
Police caught up with him Tuesday in the city of Cut and Shoot, Texas. A tip sent searchers to a house where Oropesa was found hiding in a closet under some laundry.
He was arrested without incident and jailed.
New video of the arrest pic.twitter.com/o8O56K1cWH
— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) May 3, 2023
Early Wednesday, Chief Deputy Tim Kean of the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Office said several other arrests were made after the suspect was taken into custody. He did not provide details but said the number arrested was less than five, according to NBC News.
“Others are hinging on what’s going on right now,” he said.
CNN reported the house where the arrest took place was linked to members of Oropesa’s family.
According to The Associated Press, one of those arrested was Divimara Lamar Nava, 53, whom it identified as Oropesa’s wife.
BREAKING: Wife of Fransisco Oropesa, theman accused of killing 5 neighbors with an assault rifle in Cleveland Texas, is under arrest for allegedly helping him evade police for 4 days pic.twitter.com/N1cGoAQ743
— Michael Board (@MikeBoard1200) May 3, 2023
However, KTRK-TV in Houston said the Montgomery County Jail system listed her as not married, so her relationship with Oropesa was unclear.
Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson said that although Nava had initially denied knowing Oropesa’s whereabouts, authorities believe she helped hide him in the house where he was found.
Connor Hagan, an FBI spokesman, said the identity of the person who gave officials the tip that led to Oropesa’s arrest would not be disclosed, nor would officials discuss what help Oropesa was given in the four days when police sought to arrest him.
Officials do not believe Oropesa was in the house where he was arrested throughout the manhunt for him, according to KTRK.
Kean said he had been seen Monday but had eluded police at that time.
Oropesa had a cellphone with him when he was found.
“Anybody that helped this maniac definitely has some kind of issues as far as I’m concerned,” Kean said.
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