Manhunt for Texas shooter ends after suspect found in pile of laundry

The man suspected of shooting and killing his neighbors ‘execution-style’ in Texas was found after a four-day long manhunt.

Francisco Oropeza, 38, was found in the small city of Conroe, located about 40 miles north of Houston and 20 miles from his home in the rural town of Cleveland, Texas where the massacre took place.

Oropeza had allegedly been shooting his AR-15 rifle in his front yard when his neighbors asked him to shoot elsewhere because their baby was trying to sleep.

Oropeza responded by shooting five people in the household ‘execution-style,’ including a mother and her 9-year-old son, authorities said.

The victims were identified as Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18, Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, and her son Daniel Enrique Laso, 9. They were all Honduran nationals.

Oropeza is a Mexican national, and has been deported a total of four times since 2009, according to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials.

Authorities received a tip around 5.15pm on Tuesday that lead them to a home in Conroe – where they found Oropeza hiding in a pile of laundry. He was in FBI custody around 6.45pm the same evening.

‘He was caught hiding in a closet underneath some laundry,’ San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said at a press conference held on Tuesday night shortly after the arrest. ‘He is uninjured and he is currently being taken to my facility in Cold Springs.’

Prosecutors are expected to charge Oropeza with five counts of first-degree murder. His bond was set at $5million.

Capers thanked the more than 225 law enforcement officers who helped with the massive state-wide manhunt, which included agents from the FBI, the US Marshals, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Thank you to the person who had the courage to call in this tip,’ FBI Special Agent-in-charge Jimmy Paul said. ‘We always said it wasn’t a matter of “if” but “when” he would be captured, and we’re glad this evening was that “when” we’ve all been waiting for.’

Special Agent Paul said the FBI and the other law enforcement partners ‘worked non-stop to arrest this individual to try to bring some justice to the 5 victims and return a sense of security back to the San Jacinto County community.’

Sheriff Capers said the family of the victim ‘can rest easy now, because he is behind bars. And he will live out the rest of his life behind bars.’

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