A source from ICE informed Fox News Digital that the suspect in a mass shooting, who is now on the loose in Texas, had been deported five times. The man is accused of murdering five neighbors, reportedly in an execution-style attack on Friday night after they complained about him using a gun on his property.
The 38-year-old Mexican national Francisco Oropesa is wanted for the quintuple homicide in Cleveland, Texas, a suburb of Houston, according to the FBI, which said that officials had “no leads” in their hunt for him.
Here are the newest images of Francisco Oropesa and a prominent tattoo on his left forearm.
Going forward, the subject’s last name will be spelled “Oropesa” to better reflect his identity in law enforcement systems. This remains a fluid investigation. #ClevelandTXShooting pic.twitter.com/ZWUu0FqoMF
— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) April 30, 2023
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Reward Offered
Now offering a combined $80,000 reward for information leading to his capture is the Texas governor’s office, state agencies, and the FBI.
According to FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge James Smith, “We do not know where he is, which is why we’ve come up with this reward.” Smith also said that he is certain that Oropesa has contacted people since being on the run, but they need to know who.
Another ICE source told Fox News Digital that Oropesa had previously entered the nation illegally “multiple” times after his deportations and was doing so at the time of the incident. The source also said that ICE last came into contact with Oropesa in 2016.
On “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Chuck Todd mentioned that there was a question about Oropesa having a “consulate card, meaning he was here legally, but perhaps he had overstayed?” DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas replied to Todd that he wouldn’t “comment” on Oropesa’s immigration status.
“I won’t comment on it because it is an active case,” Mayorkas retorted.
A big tattoo of a lady wearing a headdress was seen on one of Oropesa’s arms in one of the fresh four photographs of his face that the FBI published.
Authorities are now offering an $80,000 reward for any information leading to the capture of Francisco Oropesa. He’s accused of killing five neighbors, including an eight-year-old boy, after a noise complaint in rural Texas. @MattRiversABC has more. https://t.co/B3FAFSEdNy pic.twitter.com/rvnqsJBQ2a
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) April 30, 2023
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Latest Updates from Law Enforcement
Greg Capers, sheriff of San Jacinto County, stated on Saturday night that “he could be anywhere now” and that the size of the investigation’s perimeter had increased from 5 to 20 square miles, depending on whether or not the highline wire had been crossed.
In addition to clothes and an abandoned mobile phone, tracking canines from the Texas Department of Correction “picked up a scent and then… lost that scent in the water,” the sheriff said.
Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, Daniel Enrique Laso Guzman, 9, Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, and Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18, have been named as the victims.
They were getting ready to contact the police when they asked Oropesa to stop firing his AR-15 in his yard since it was late and their 1-month-old baby couldn’t sleep, according to Wilson Garcia, who lost his wife and son in the shooting.
But before they could react, Oropesa broke inside their house and began firing. Garcia said, “I never thought he would shoot,” adding that Oropesa had previously attempted to shoot him but missed. Then, searching for people, he went from room to room.
In an apparent effort to protect the children from the gunfire, two women were also discovered sleeping on top of the three survivors.
Reprinted with permission. View this story and more on WayneDupree.com.