Francisco Oropesa: FBI launches nationwide search for Texas mass shooting suspect accused of 5 murders
HOUSTON, CALIFORNIA: Border Authorities are on high alert as the search operation is underway for the Texas man Francisco Oropesa. He is accused of killing five members of a neighboring house after they asked him to stop firing off rounds in his yard. The FBI on Tuesday, May 2 said that they are going to continue their massive search.
While giving an update via Twitter, FBI Houston said, “Francisco Oropesa could be anywhere. The FBI is working with law enforcement agencies across the state, country, and across the border. We're leaving no stone unturned. If anyone has any photos or security camera video they'd like law enforcement to see, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI.” The department also shared the suspect’s mugshot and a photo of a tattoo he has on his forearm of a woman with a headpiece.
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Francisco Oropesa: Authorities offer $80K for information about suspected Texas shooter who killed 5
Francisco Oropesa could be anywhere. The FBI is working with law enforcement agencies across the state, country and across the border. We're leaving no stone unturned. If anyone has any photos or security camera video they'd like law enforcement to see, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI pic.twitter.com/0SpHS1ztoY
— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) May 2, 2023
'Officials are out on foot, in vehicles & inside mobile command'
In the tweet, FBI Houston also mentioned that they are combing through hundreds of evidence and making use of all available resources to nab the alleged mass murderer. "Officials are out on foot, in vehicles & inside mobile command centers using all available human & technological resources to gather intelligence, and pursue tips." San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers informed on Sunday, April 30, that Texas Governor Greg Abbot has offered $50,000 for his capture, and other counties have come in with $5,000 for a total of $55,000. Moreover, the FBI is already offering $25,000, making the total reward money reach $80,000, confirmed FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge James Smith.
Oropesa is a Mexican national and was previously removed by a US immigration judge and deported by ICE agents in Houston in 2009. He re-entered the country several times in the next seven years, as per CBS News sources. He also had a record and served jail time for driving while intoxicated in Montgomery County. Giving an update, Smith told that the search has run into dead ends and officials have ‘no idea’ where he could be and have ‘zero leads.’ The authorities are expecting that the larger reward money can attract people to tip the suspect. "We cannot continue down this path until we get him apprehended and arrested. We're asking everyone to bring this monster to justice."
'Who all died in the mass shooting?'
Capers said, following the confrontation, where neighbors asked him to stop shooting rounds, the suspect responded by telling that it was his property. The victims were identified by the Honduran Foreign Ministry as Sonia Guzman, 28; Diana Velasquez, 21; Obdulia Molina, 31; Jonathan Caceres, 18, and nine-year-old Daniel Enrique Lazo. CBS Houston reports that it is yet to establish the relationship between the victims even though they were all living in same house.