Accident – death – Obituary News :

Multiple Shootings in San Jacinto County Leave Five Dead

On Friday, April 28, 2023, a horrifying incident unfolded in the Trails End Subdivision in south San Jacinto County. The San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office received a distressing call at 11:30 pm, reporting multiple shootings on Walter Road. When law enforcement units arrived at the scene, they were confronted with a gruesome sight.

The victims included one male, a female standing in the front door, an 8-year-old boy, and two women found in a bedroom. Heartbreakingly, four of the victims tragically lost their lives at the scene, while a fifth victim was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to their injuries. In addition to the casualties, three small children covered in blood were also taken to the hospital, although it was determined that the blood belonged to the women who had shielded them during the attack.

Sheriff Greg Capers revealed that all the victims had been shot in an execution-style manner. Furthermore, it was discovered that all ten individuals residing in the house were from Honduras. Investigators quickly learned that the neighbor, identified as Francisco Oropeza, a 38-year-old Mexican national, was responsible for the shootings. Oropeza had been firing his AR-15 in his front yard, prompting a neighbor to request him to cease due to the presence of a newborn infant. Oropeza initially complied, but later returned and began the rampage.

Law enforcement officers faced a challenging situation upon arriving at Oropeza’s residence, unsure if the suspect had barricaded himself inside. Seeking assistance, Sheriff Capers reached out to Montgomery County for support. A joint effort involving the Texas Rangers, the Department of Public Safety, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constables Office, and the North Montgomery County Fire Department swiftly mobilized to contain the situation.

Despite the coordinated response, Oropeza was not found at his residence. Authorities believe that he managed to flee the area. The search for the suspect continued, with the Texas Rangers lending their expertise to the ongoing investigation.

The victims of this senseless act of violence were identified as Sonia Argentina Guzman (25), Diana Velazquez Alvarado (21), Julisa Molina Rivera (31), Jose Jonathan Casarez (18), and Daniel Enrique Laso (8). The San Jacinto District Attorney’s Office has been diligently working on the case, gathering evidence and statements from multiple agencies involved. First Assistant District Attorney Rob Freyer emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “This is a daily grind for us, to work on a case as serious as this one, they don’t get much bigger than this.”

Francisco Oropeza appeared in Judge Wells’s Court on Thursday morning, accompanied by his attorney. First Assistant District Attorney Rob Freyer announced that the District Attorney’s Office is seeking the death penalty in this case. Following the filing of several motions, Oropeza was escorted out of the courtroom under heavy guard. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 18, 2024. After the hearing, Freyer met with the grieving families, ensuring they were kept informed about the case’s progress and the potential range of punishment.

Unresolved Murder Case of Rhonda Richardson

Thursday morning also saw developments in the case of Robert Dale Clary, who was arrested in connection with the murder of 59-year-old Rhonda Richardson. Richardson, a prison guard at the Polunsky Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, was found dead in the Sam Houston National Forest in 2019.

According to authorities, Richardson’s body was discovered near her home by two individuals riding an ATV on a trail within the forest on May 22, 2019. One of those individuals was Clary, who failed to report the finding to the authorities. Instead, he informed his family and asked his nephew to make the call, aware that suspicion could fall on him due to his proximity to the crime scene.

Investigators found multiple injuries on Richardson’s body, including slashes and blunt-force trauma to her head and face. Astonishingly, she was still wearing her jewelry, leading detectives to believe that her murder might be connected to her employment at the prison. However, an investigation conducted by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice into the possibility of Richardson being targeted within the prison system yielded no significant findings.

Further inquiries revealed that a few days before her death, Richardson had sought help from her neighbors in searching for her missing dogs. Clary, one of her neighbors who volunteered to assist, was the last person seen with Richardson alive. Witnesses in the area reported seeing Richardson on Clary’s ATV. Subsequently, search warrants were obtained, and investigators scoured Clary’s residence, seizing items for forensic analysis, including the ATV and a rug.

Detective Gary Sharpen, delving into Clary’s past, discovered that he had a history of five prior DWI cases and had previously served time at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The investigation benefited from the involvement of Harris County Prosecutor Kelly Siegler, renowned for her work on the television show “Cold Justice.” Utilizing advancements in forensic technology, experts revisited previous evidence, focusing on the cell phone coordinates of both Richardson and Clary. The analysis revealed that their phones had been in close proximity to each other, further strengthening the case against Clary.

Based on the evidence gathered, Detective Sharpen obtained an arrest warrant for Robert Dale Clary, who was subsequently taken into custody and transported to the San Jacinto County Jail.

Murder Suspects Daniel and Thorn Keeper

Also appearing in court on Thursday were Thorn Keeper and his father, Daniel Keeper. The father-son duo stood accused of the murder of 18-year-old Katelyn Michelle Brandon, whose lifeless body was discovered on December 28, 2022, in the 100 block of Ellis Road in Coldspring.

The investigation revealed that Brandon had sustained multiple stab wounds to her back, neck, and shoulder blades. She had intermittently resided at the Ellis Street location with Thorn Keeper. The court proceedings surrounding this tragic case are ongoing, with further details yet to be revealed.

As the community grapples with the shock and grief caused by these violent acts, the diligent efforts of law enforcement and the judicial system aim to bring justice to the victims and their families.

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