Oropeza to face death penalty in mass shooting case

COLDSPRING – The San Jacinto County Courthouse was adorned with a festive holiday motif during a less than cheerful gathering as Francisco Oropeza was back in court facing charges on five killings last April. 

Attorneys for Oropeza and the San Jacinto County District Attorney's office were on hand to address 411th District Court Judge John Wells during a hearing Thursday morning, where the prosecution notified the court of their intentions to seek the death penalty. 

Oropeza stands accused of killing Jonathan Casarez, 18, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, Diana Velasquez Alvarado, 21, Daniel Enrique Las-Guzman, 9, and his mother, Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, in the Trails End Subdivision near Cleveland. 

During the court proceedings, Anthony Osso., one of the attorneys for Oropeza, informed the judge that his office was still awaiting evidence to be handed over to begin any investigation.  

“Our experts haven’t been able to study any of the evidence,” Osso said. 

He also told the court that inspecting any evidence and preparing for trial would likely take time. 

“The way things are moving along right now, I’m not seeing anything before mid-2025,” Osso said. 

Attorneys are expected back in court on April 18, 2024, where more evidence is expected to be released to the defense. 

Check out next week’s edition of The Vindicator for a complete look at today’s proceedings.