A man suspected of a mass shooting near the Texas city of Cleveland last week that left five people dead, including a 9-year-old boy, has been captured after an extensive manhunt, authorities said.
Following a search of several daysFrancisco Oropesa, 38, was arrested around 7 p.m. local time at a home in the Cut and Shoot, Texas area following a public tip, Montgomery County Sheriff Greg confirmed. Capers at a press conference Tuesday night.
“They caught him hiding in a closet, under a laundry room,” Capers said.
He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on five counts of murder, Capers said, and was being held on $5 million bail. He will be taken to the San Jacinto County Jail in Coldspring, Capers added.
The FBI, Border Patrol and U.S. Marshals were involved in the surveillance, the San Jacinto County District Attorney’s office told CBS News.
Jimmy Paul, FBI assistant special agent in charge of the Houston division, told reporters that the suspect was found thanks to a tip from the public.
“We are very pleased that the citizen had the courage and bravery to ask for this suggestion,” Paul said.
Authorities did not disclose whether the home where Oropesa was found belonged to friends or relatives of the suspect.
Capers previously said the suspect shot his neighbors Friday night after they asked him to stop firing ammunition into their yard.
The attack took place near the city of Cleveland, which is located north of Houston. Cut and Shoot is located about 17 miles west of Cleveland.
Capers previously reported that the victims ranged in age from 9 to 31 and were all believed to be from Honduras. They were all shot “from the neck up,” he said. They were identified as Sonia Guzman, 28 years old; Diana Velásquez, 21; Obdulia Molina, 31; Jonathan Cáceres, 18 years old, and Daniel Enrique Lazo, 9 years old.
A total of 10 people were in the home at the time of the shooting, but the other five were not injured. Three children were found covered in blood in the home, but were not injured, Capers said.
Police on Saturday recovered the AR-15-style rifle believed to have been used by Orpesa in the shootings, Capers previously said. Investigators had also found clothing and a cell phone believed to belong to the suspect.
A Mexican national, Oropesa was removed by a United States immigration judge and deported by ICE agents in Houston in 2009. After re-entering the country, he was detained and removed again several times over the next seven years, CBS News has learned. Oropesa has a prior conviction in Montgomery County for driving while intoxicated and was ordered to serve time in prison for that offense.
Capers also confirmed Tuesday night that a warrant was issued for Orpesa last year after his wife filed for an order of protection against him.
“As far as I know, we have a warrant out for him,” Capers said. “The officer went to serve him in another county, because he moved out of here, and he was never able to contact the subject. And then, a few days later, the victim went to the district attorney’s office ” in San Jacinto County “and entered a plea of not guilty.”
