Trinity County News 2

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Firefighters battle a blaze that erupted in an abandoned house. COURTESY PHOTO

By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — An early morning fire destroyed an abandoned home on Front Street on Thursday.

Fire Chief Glenn Hammond said there was no saving the abandoned house, which was fully engulfed in flame when the Fire Department arrived at the location. He also described the fire as suspicious in nature.

The call came in at 6:39 a.m. Thursday at the abandoned property, one of three side-by-side just west of Gardner Oil Co.

Hammond said the fire was so large that by the time they arrived, all that could be done was to save the structure next to it. He also said he was not sure if anyone was living there, but there was a power line connected to the structure with no meter.

“I’m 99.9 percent sure this was a set fire,” Hammond said. “The Sheriff’s Office will investigate this.”

Hammond offered thanks to the GVFD volunteers, the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office, Friday VFD and Pennington VFD.

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By Tony Farkas
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CONROE — Francisco Oropeza, wanted for the slaying of five Cleveland residents, was taken into custody May 2 at a residence in Montgomery County.

In addition to Oropeza, his domestic partner, Divimara Nava, 52, also was arrested on a charge of harboring a felon, a third-degree felony, and is being held at the Montgomery County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said Oropeza was transferred to the San Jacinto County Jail late Tuesday night and is being held on a $7.5 million bond for first-degree murder.

Capers said that on Tuesday, law enforcement officials received a tip that Oropeza was seen at a residence in Montgomery County and sent a team out.

The team arrived at the residence and found enough evidence that made the tip credible, Capers said. A tactical team consisting of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Homicide/Violent Crimes Unit, Crime Scene Investigations Unit and Texas Rangers executed a search warrant, entered the residence, and found Oropeza hiding under a pile of laundry in a closet.

Multiple pieces of evidence were recovered from the scene.

The 38-year-old Oropeza is accused of shooting and killing five people at a residence in the early morning hours of April 29 in the 100 block of Walters Road in the Trails End area of Cleveland.

The victims are were Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21; Julisia Molina Rivera, 31; Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18; and Daniel Enrique Laso Guzman, 8.

Lt. Charles Dougherty of the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office said that Oropeza, a Mexican national, has been deported at least three times in the past, and also had been arrested for driving while intoxicated.

He also said that the victims are from Honduras, but authorities are not sure of their immigration status.

The shootings came after police received a harassment call; the victims reportedly asked the suspect to stop shooting firearms in his yard as the family was trying to sleep.

Four of the victims were confirmed dead inside of the residence; 8-year-old Daniel was pronounced dead later at the hospital after being transported via Allegiance Mobile Health.

The three other patients were transported to the hospital as well.

Capers said this still is a very active, ongoing investigation and information will be released as it becomes available.

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The Groveton Volunteer Fire Department battled a fire that broke out on a crane on Thursday. Six firefighters extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported. COURTESY PHOTO

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CHRISTOPHER KOPESKI

By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — A Liberty County man reported missing in March 2019 has been found in Trinity County.

Sheriff Woody Wallace said his office received a call on April 17 that someone had discovered human remains on a hunting lease near Trinlady Park by a man riding a four-wheeler.

Deputies investigating the call determined the skull and bones were from a human, and then obtained a search warrant for the property and recovered the remaining bones.

Wallace said the identity of the victim was obtained from DNA analysis and determined to be Christopher Michael Kopeski, 47, who was reported missing to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office on March 28, 2019.

The cause of death has not been determined because the remains have bee exposed to the environment for some time; however, Wallace said foul play is suspected and there are persons of interest linked to the disappearance of Kopeski.

The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office is working jointly with the Texas Rangers and Liberty County Sheriff’s Office to continue the investigation, he said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office at (936) 642-1424 or may remain anonymous by contacting Trinity County Crime Stoppers at (936) 639-8477.