Wife of Texas man accused of killing 5 neighbors among several arrested after manhunt

The wife of Francisco Oropesa, the man accused of killing five of his neighbors in their Texas home, has been arrested along with several others, officials said Wednesday morning.

Chief Deputy Tim Kean of the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Office announced during a news conference that several arrests had been made. He also said Oropesa’s bond was expected to be set at $5 million Wednesday.

Kean didn’t identify those arrested or say how many people were taken into custody in connection with the case, but said it was fewer than five.

Oropesa’s wife was among those arrested in connection with the shooting. Divimara Lamar Nava, 53, was listed as being in custody at the Montgomery County Jail after being arrested just before 3 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET) on a charge of hindering apprehension/prosecution of a known felon, records show.

Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson separately confirmed her arrest to The Associated Press, saying she previously denied knowledge of Oropeza’s whereabouts, but authorities believe she hid him in the home near Conroe where he was arrested Tuesday.

Speaking in front of the jail early Wednesday, Kean said more arrests are likely, saying, “others are hinging on what’s going on right now.”

He said that Oroposa’s demeanor was “calm” and that he’s “probably in this jail right now having a hot breakfast.”

Oropesa, 38, was arrested in the city of Cut and Shoot on Tuesday evening, ending a four-day manhunt.

A tip led authorities to a house less than 20 miles from the site of the Friday shooting in Cleveland, Texas, and he was found hiding in a closet underneath laundry, officials said Tuesday night.

There wasn’t a major confrontation during his arrest, Kean said, but that there was “a little simple flurry of resistance” before he was taken in. There were no injuries. 

He said it’s not believed that Oropesa had been hiding out in the home where he was found for all four days. Officials have not disclosed his path on the run.

Speaking about the house where he was found, Kean said: “I believe he thought he was in a safe spot.”

Kean also said that officials may have the weapon used in the mass shooting, pending ballistics testing for confirmation. 

San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said Tuesday the suspect will be charged with five counts of murder in connection with the Friday shooting in which he killed five people — including a 9-year-old boy — after a neighbor asked him to stop firing his rifle because an infant was trying to sleep, officials have said.