Bond set at $7.5M for suspected gunman accused of killing 5 people in San Jacinto County

A suspect accused of killing five of his neighbors with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle in their San Jacinto County home was apprehended by law enforcement agents Tuesday, FBI officials confirmed.

SEE ALSO: Authorities release names of 5 killed in shooting at San Jacinto County home

The man, who has been identified as 38-year-old Francisco Oropesa, was arrested in the city of Cut and Shoot, Texas, San Jacinto County District Attorney Todd Dillon said.

He was taken into custody and has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder. His bond was set at $7.5 million -- $1.5 million for each charge.

“Between my law enforcement and also being Justice of the Peace, this is by far the worst case I am personally familiar with,” Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Randy Ellisor said.

Suspect believed to be Francisco Oropesa arrested for San Jacinto County murders (Copyright 2023 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.)

Oropesa was transported to a jail facility in Coldspring sometime Tuesday night.

San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said that the suspect was found inside a home, hiding in the closet under a pile of clothes.

Officials with the FBI said they were alerted to the suspect’s location by a caller who tipped them off at 5:15 p.m. An arrest was later made at 6:30 p.m.

RELATED: Repeated 911 calls, a wait for deputies: San Jacinto County survivors question why help didn’t arrive sooner

The FBI reward money of $80,000 will be given to that caller, according to Sheriff Capers.

When asked if the suspect’s weapon was recovered during the arrest, a spokesperson with the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office said they could not provide comment due to the ongoing investigation.

Deep dive

On Tuesday, NBC News took a dive into Oropesa’s criminal history. He was reportedly arrested back in 2022 for allegedly beating his wife at their home in Cleveland, Texas.

The wife, who was not named, was said to have called the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office to report Oropesa was drunk and had physically assaulted her on June 14.

SEE ALSO: Suspect in massacre of 5 neighbors in San Jacinto Co. allegedly beat his wife last year, prosecutor says

San Jacinto County’s DA said that their records showed that Oropesa had kicked his wife on her backside and in the face and mouth and that he had broken the gate outside their home before he left, deputies reported.

NBC News contributed to this report.

RELATED CONTENT:

Who is Francisco Oropeza? What we know about suspect accused of 5 murders in San Jacinto County

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Authorities release names of 5 killed in shooting at San Jacinto County home; suspect still at large

DAY 1: Authorities release names of 5 killed in shooting at San Jacinto County home; suspect still at large

DAY 2: $80K reward offered as search continues for fugitive tied to murders of 5 people in San Jacinto County home

DAY 3: Search continues for Francisco Oropesa, man accused of killing 5 in San Jacinto County


About the Authors

Moriah Ballard joined the KPRC 2 digital team in the fall of 2021. Prior to becoming a digital content producer in Southeast Texas and a Houstonian, Moriah was an award-winning radio host in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio, and previously worked as a producer/content creator in Cleveland. Her faith, family, and community are her top passions.

A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, Ana moved to H-Town from sunny southern California in 2015. In 2020, she joined the KPRC 2 digital team as an intern. Ana is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, a catmom of 3, and an aquarium enthusiast. In her spare time, she's an avid video gamer and loves to travel.

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