- Francisco Oropeza is a Mexican-born man who is accused of killing five members of Wilson Garcia’s family with an AR-15-style rifle
- The police caught him after four days of manhunt and has since been jailed
- Also, Oropeza is the father of a 9-year-old son
Francisco Oropeza,39, is a Texas resident who was born in Mexico and is accused of the murder of five neighbors including Sonia Argentina Guzman and Daniel Enrique Laso in April 2023. Shortly after the incident, Oropeza was on the run till the police finally caught up with him in the Texas city of Cut and Shoot.
Background of Francisco Oropeza
Francisco Oropeza was born in Mexico sometime in 1985. According to reports from the Garcia killings, his name Oropeza is familiar to law enforcement when spelled as Oropesa. He spent his early years in Mexico before moving to the US. As you would find, he had lots of run-ins with the law. Thusly, he was deported four times; twice in 2009, in 2012, and in 2016 by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Despite this, he always found a way of returning to the country.
Away from this, little is known about other members of his family. We gathered he is the father of a 9-year-old boy as of this writing and may have been married. While he may have been a family man, it is his involvement in the alleged murder of five people on April 28, 2023, that brought attention to him once more.
He Allegedly Killed his Neighbours Execution Style
Oropeza, the alleged killer of five people is said to have been practicing shooting in his front yard while his neighbors were trying to put their baby to sleep. The father of the child, Wilson Garcia called the police when Oropeza refused to stop firing. He revealed that after the altercation, Oropeza showed up at the house about 10-20 minutes later and started firing.
The first person that fell was Garcia’s wife, Sonia Argentina Guzman(25), followed by his 8-year-old son, Daniel Enrique Laso. Three identified guests of the Garcia’s, Diana Velazquez Alvarado, Julisa Molina Rivera, and Jose Jonathan Casarez were also victims of the attack. According to reports, Alvarado and Rivera died while trying to protect Garcia’s children and other minors in the house.
Also, the victims were shot from the neck up which reports describe as execution style.
Oropeza is Named the Suspect in the Shootings
Following the Texas shootings of members of the Garcia household, the police used doorbell camera footage, and identity cards in tracing the suspect. Also, they offered reward money of $80,000 for any information that will lead to the suspect.
Drawing conclusions from the above, the police linked the murders to Oropeza. Apparently, he had left behind clothes and a cell phone as well as the murder weapon, an AR-15-style rifle. Upon finding that he had left the area, they concluded that he fled on foot.
See Also: Pam Hupp: All There Is To Know About Her Crimes, Murder, And Sentencing
How the Alleged Suspect was Captured
Two reports were passed about sighting the suspect on Monday, 1 May 2023 but both did not lead to him. Oropeza was caught four days later on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. He was caught by task force agents in the eastern Texas city of Cut and Shoot.
According to the San Jacinto County Sherriff, Greg Capers, the police were hinted about his hideouts by unnamed sources. When the members of the special task force reached the location, they found the suspect hiding in a closet under some laundry.
Apparently, the tip came through the FBI tip line around 5:15 pm and his arrest was made around 6:30 pm. After they caught him, he was taken to the Montgomery County jail. Oropeza is charged with five counts of murder. As of this writing, a date for a hearing is yet to be set.
The Bodies of the Victims May be Taken to Honduras
The Honduras foreign ministry has identified the victims and survivors of the attack as Honduras nationals. Following this, reports have it that the ministry is in touch with the family to repatriate the bodies back home.
