Man accused of killing 5 people in Cleveland, Texas is in custody
SAN JACINTO COUNTY (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Francisco Oropesa, the man accused of fatally shooting five of his neighbors, has been arrested, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.
A tip was made to the FBI tip line at 5:15 p.m. on May 2 regarding the whereabouts of Oropesa, 38. By 6:30 p.m., he was taken into police custody.
During a press conference, San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said Oropesa was found hiding in a closet under laundry. He was taken into custody without incident.
"Everybody played a very integral part of the arrest and capture of this coward," Capers said.
Capers continued to say there were tips called in from Wyoming, Florida, Maryland and Oklahoma.
"Bottom line is this man is in custody," he said.
Oropesa is being charged with five counts of murder and is being held on a $7.5 million bond.
"This is a very sad time for the victims...hope it brings them some comfort and they can breathe," said Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Joe Ruiz de Chavez.
The attack happened on April 28 near the town of Cleveland, north of Houston, on a street where some residents say neighbors often unwind by firing off guns.
Oropesa fled his home after he allegedly shot his neighbors after they asked him to stop firing off rounds in his yard.
A Mexican national, Oropesa was ordered removed by a U.S. immigration judge and deported by ICE agents in Houston in 2009. After re-entering the country, he was apprehended and removed again several times over the next seven years, CBS News has learned. Oropesa has a prior conviction in Montgomery County, Texas, for driving while intoxicated and was sentenced to serve time in jail for the offense.
"Great job by law enforcement," Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted.
Officials say the investigation is ongoing.