Deputies praised for Porter murder arrest as they assisted in unrelated Francisco Oropeza manhunt
Oropeza, who's accused of unleashing a drunken rampage that killed 5 of his neighbors, was arrested in Montgomery County.
PORTER, Texas (KTRK) -- The Montgomery County sheriff is praising his team of investigators not only for their involvement in the large-scale manhunt of a mass murder suspect, but also for arresting a suspect who eluded them for 10 days.
The video above is from a previous report.
On Thursday, Sheriff Rand Henderson's office announced Roberto Ausencio's arrest in connection with an April 23 shooting that left Rufino Gutierrez dead in Porter, Texas.
PREVIOS STORY: Montgomery County deputies investigating man found shot to death in Porter as homicide
SWAT officers and gang task force detectives were among the personnel who executed Ausencio's arrest warrant on Wednesday, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office wrote in a news release.
The arrest, Henderson said, was particularly notable in the midst of deputies' participation in the massive search for Francisco Oropeza, whose alleged mass murder case in San Jacinto County is not related to the Porter shooting.
"Even as our deputies were assisting in the massive manhunt for (Francisco Oropeza), our agency continued to investigate this case," the sheriff said. "I could not be more proud of the detectives that worked tirelessly to solve this case and bring a dangerous gang member and murderer off the streets of Montgomery County. We will not tolerate this type of violent lawlessness in our County, and justice will be served."
Oropeza had been at large since authorities alleged that he had opened fire inside his neighbors' home Friday evening. He's accused of killing five people, including an 8-year-old.
Deputies played a role in Oropeza's capture on Tuesday in Cut and Shoot, which is within the Montgomery County line.
Oropeza's domestic partner was also arrested in the county, accused of assisting his flight from the law.
