Divimara Lamar Nava, 52, of Cleveland, is facing a charge of Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution of a Known Felon, a third-degree felony, after she reportedly helped Francisco Oropeza, 38, accused of killing five people in the Cleveland area, to evade authorities during a manhunt.
The shooting took place around 1 a.m. Saturday, April 29, on the 100 block of Walter Drive in the Trails End Subdivision west of Cleveland after a dispute reportedly over Oropeza shooting an AR 233 in his yard. The neighbors, who have a newborn baby boy, allegedly asked Oropeza to stop firing the weapon so the baby could sleep.
Instead of honoring their request, Oropeza reportedly went into his home, reloaded the weapon and went to the neighbor’s home, shooting and killing five of the 10 occupants inside the home. The youngest was a 9-year-old boy. The boy’s mother died while trying to shield her newborn son and young toddler from the assault. Oropeza’s arrival at the victims’ home was captured on a Ring doorbell, authorities said.
After a massive three-day manhunt involving more than 250-plus officers from more than a dozen agencies, Nava and Oropeza were arrested around 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, at a relative’s mobile home located at 16322 Summer Hollow between Cut and Shoot and Security in Montgomery County, Texas. Oropeza was found hiding under a pile of laundry in a closet.
While the marital status on the Montgomery County Jail website says Nava is unmarried, her address is on the 100 block of Walter Drive in the Trails End Subdivision west of Cleveland, right next door to where the fatal shooting took place. That is the same address listed for Oropeza.
According to San Jacinto County District Attorney Todd Dillon, Nava is the common-law wife of Oropeza. She sought a protective order against Oropeza in San Jacinto County in 2022, thought he was never prosecuted. The case never advanced because Nava filed a non-prosecution statement a few days after her initial request.
Oropeza was initially taken to the Montgomery County Jail before being transported to the San Jacinto County Jail. He is being held on five counts of murder. His bond was initially $5 million but it was raised to $7.5 million on Wednesday. Nava remains in the Montgomery County Jail and has a bond set for $250,000.
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