Five people were killed and several more arrested in a small Texas town following a manhunt for an illegal alien who allegedly murdered his neighbors after they asked him to stop shooting his gun due to a sleeping baby.
San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Timothy Kean confirmed that a 38–year–old suspect was arrested in the town of Cut and Shoot, which has a population of just over 1,000 people — roughly 17 miles away from where the killings happened.
The suspect was reportedly found hiding in a closet under a pile of laundry on the fourth day of the manhunt following a tip to law enforcement. His identity, however, will not be revealed due to a company policy depriving mass killers of notoriety.
The suspect is a Mexican national who has been deported from the U.S. five times between 2009 and 2016.
In addition to the suspect, Kean also confirmed that a 53–year–old woman, identified by officials as the suspect’s wife, was arrested on a felony charge of hindering the apprehension or prosecution of a known felon. The report said the woman was not listed as legally married but noted that she shared the address as the suspect.
The victims were identified as Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21; Julisa Molina Rivera, 31; Jonathan Casarez, 18; and Daniel Enrique Laso, 8.
The motive behind the killings is not yet known. However, it has been reported that the victims asked the suspect to stop shooting his gun due to a sleeping baby, which may have caused the suspect to react violently.
In a press conference, Kean said that the number of people taken into custody was “fluid right now” but confirmed that it was not more than five.
“There have been several arrests, but I can’t go into the details on that,” Kean said. “I’m not going to say his name. You guys know his name. He’s in this jail right here. I don’t think he deserves the glory for what he’s done.”
The case is still under investigation and it is unclear if additional arrests will be made in the coming days.
