Who Is Francisco Oropeza? Police Hunt Texas Mass Shooting Suspect

A manhunt continues for the suspect accused of shooting five neighbors "execution style" after a dispute over gunfire Friday night, Texas law enforcement said.

Francisco Oropeza, 38, is wanted in the mass shooting that took place at a property in Cleveland, eastern Texas, at 11:31 p.m. Friday. He has eluded local police and the FBI for nearly a day.

"An extensive manhunt for Oropeza has not yielded his location," the San Jacinto County Sheriff's Office said Saturday evening in a Facebook post. Oropeza is described as a Hispanic male, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, last seen wearing a black shirt and blue jeans.

He is believed to have fled the county and is "presumed to be armed and dangerous," according to the post, which included his photo.

Newsweek reached out to the sheriff's office for comment via phone and social media. A spokesman for the FBI's Houston office told Newsweek there were no new updates as of 8:15 p.m. EST.

The five victims were identified during a Saturday evening press conference as Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; Daniel Enrique Laso Guzman, 9; Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21; Julisa Molina Rivera, 31; and Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18.

The women were found lying on top of two surviving children, "protecting them," Sheriff Greg Capers confirmed earlier to Newsweek. All five were gunned down by an "AR-15-style-rifle" and found inside a home, which had 10 residents in total.

Police were able to identify Oropeza through his Mexican consulate card and a Ring doorbell camera, which captured him walking to the front door with a rifle, Capers said. He reported that officials are interviewing Oropeza's wife and found several weapons after searching his home. Officers also located his cell phone.

Law enforcement have used scent-tracking dogs and drones in the extensive search for Oropeza, who was believed to be intoxicated and fled toward a heavily wooded area a few miles from the crime scene, Capers said.

A warrant has been issued for Oropeza on five counts of murder. His bond has been set at $5 million.

The massacre seemed to be the result a confrontation where one or several of the victims approached Oropeza's fence and asked the suspect to stop shooting his gun because they were trying to sleep, Capers said. The suspect responded by telling them that it was his property and he could do as he pleased. Police were responding to the victims' noise disturbance complaint when they received the call about a shooting.

Police received previous complaints about Oropeza shooting his rifle in the yard, Capers said.

"I can't tell you how many times we've had a call out here, but we have researched a little bit of that. And we have found some prior history at this residence," he said.

The sheriff's office urged anyone with information or tips to come forward by calling 936-653-4367 or through the local crime stoppers website.

"We are grateful to the numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and media partners assisting us in the search for Francisco Oropeza after the #ClevelandTXShooting," the FBI Houston Office said on Twitter. "Call 911 if you see him!"

Correction 05/02/23 11:58 p.m. ET: This article was updated to reflect the age of Daniel Enrique Laso Guzman, 9.