Trinity County News 2

1 Comment

TCNS staff

HUNTSVILLE — Two suspects from Trinity County wanted for mail theft were arrested by members of the Walker County Sheriff’s Department on May 15.

According to reports from law enforcement, 24-year-old Chastity Stanley and 25-year-old Haley Johnson were both placed in custody and transported to the Walker County Jail after Walker County Sheriff’s Deputy D. Arce observed the two exiting a green passenger at the 3000 block of State Highway 19.

Arce was aware the two women had active warrants; when he approached the vehicle, he observed a green pipe and an abundance of mail covering the floorboard of the back and passenger side of the vehicle. After confirming their identity, dispatch advised that both subjects had active warrants out of Trinity County.

While searching the vehicle, mail belonging to approximately 57 different addresses was found, reports indicate. Additionally, a small bag was found with 5 different written checks with different names and addresses.

Stanley was charged with theft of mail, a third-degree felony, and endangering a child, a second-degree felony. Bond was set at $50,000.

Johnson was charged with theft of mail, a third-degree felony; criminal mischief; and warrants for hindering apprehension or prosecution, a third-degree felony, endangering a child, a second-degree felony; unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, a third-degree felony; possession of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony; and theft of mail a state jail felony. Bond was set at $90,000.

The Walker County Sheriff’s Office has been working with the United States Postal Services inspector, and detectives have been contacting all mail theft victims.

If you believe you may have been a victim of this case of mail them, contact the Sheriff’s Office at (936) 435-2400.

Write a comment

Firefighters battle a blaze in an abandoned building in Trinity that broke out Monday afternoon. COURTESY PHOTO

TCNS staff

TRINITY — Fire consumed an abandoned building Monday afternoon.

At about 6:20 p.m., Trinity Fire & Rescue were called to 1920 S. Robb St., the site of the old Golf Country Store, and responded with two engines, two tankers, a rescue truck and 19 firefighters.

Assistant Fire Chief Keith Johnson said that the first firefighters on the scene reported a small storage shed next to the main building being fully involved, and the fire then spread to the eaves and attic of the larger structure.

Firefighters attempted to gain entry to the attic but had to cut through several layers of ceilings and could not reach the seat of the fire, so for firefighters safety an exterior attack was established, but the fire consumed the building, Johnson said.

Firefighters used heavy equipment to push the remaining parts of the building down to allow it to burn.

Johnson said the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.

No injuries were reported.

Write a comment

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

By Tony Farkas
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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.

1 Comment

By Tony Farkas
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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.