Authorities in Texas have offered a massive $80,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the alleged gunman responsible for the deaths of five people. The suspect was previously deported and is believed to be in the country illegally.
On Sunday, the FBI said there were “zero leads” in the search for the armed and dangerous suspect Francisco Oropesa. He is suspected of shooting and killing five people, including an 8-year-old boy, on Friday night before escaping in a vehicle.
At a press conference on Sunday, FBI Special Agent in Charge James Smith said, “What we need from the public is any type of information, because right now we’re just we’re running into dead ends,” “I can tell you right now, we have zero leads.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott offered a $60,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, with an additional $30,000 coming from local authorities and the FBI. “We’re asking everyone for your help so we can bring this suspect – or monster, I will call him -– to justice,” Smith said.
Greg Capers, sheriff of San Jacinto County, said he hoped the substantial prize would “be a good motivator” to bring in the fugitive. “My main intent and focus is 100% on capturing this suspect,” he said.
An ICE official told Fox News Digital that the 38-year-old wanted man had been deported once before and was in the country unlawfully. His previous run-in with ICE was in 2016, meaning he has re-entered the nation “multiple” times, the person claimed.
By clicking on these links to the most recent news stories and updates, you can get your daily dose of California’s pulse:
- Search for Mass Shooting Suspect in Texas Fails
- A Fire at a Texas Dairy Farm Kills Approximately 18,000 Cattle
Oropesa, a married parent, is accused of shooting and killing five people ranging in age from eight to thirty-one, all of whom were from Honduras. Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18, and Daniel Enrique Laso, 8, were the victims.
A card given to Mexican citizens living abroad was used to positively identify Oropesa as the perpetrator. The location of Oropesa was further narrowed down with the use of doorbell camera footage. The AR-15-style rifle that police believe was used in the horrific massacre was found, but it’s possible that the suspect still possesses other firearms.
$80K reward offered in manhunt for Texas shooting suspect reportedly in US illegally https://t.co/lwErGj1RKg pic.twitter.com/EC10Q2Fysg
— New York Post (@nypost) May 1, 2023
The suspect’s wife has been questioned “two or three times,” Caper said on Sunday. Multiple groups of law enforcement officers have been canvassing the neighborhood, including knocking on doors, in an attempt to locate Oropesa.
The dense woods around the village of Cleveland, where gunshots erupted on Friday, have been searched by drones, dogs, and horseback riders. The FBI agent Smith is confident that Oropesa has made touch with others.
In a tweet sent out on Sunday, the Houston FBI office explained that they had changed the suspect’s name to Oropesa from Oropeza to “better reflect his identity in law enforcement systems.” On Sunday, federal authorities tweeted out a photo of the wanted man.
Follow us on Facebook to get the most recent and exciting news as it happens!