A Texas gunman who shot and killed five neighbors has been handcuffed before facing trial

The Texan gunman charged with killing five neighbors, including a nine-year-old boy, in San Jacinto County was seen out of court on Thursday — where lawyers said they could consider opening a death penalty trial.

Franicsco Oropesa, 38, who appeared handcuffed and in an orange and white striped jumpsuit, was flanked by deputies and the sheriff as he entered the building in complete silence. He didn’t say a word in the courthouse, where he faced the judge for the first time.

After a massive manhunt, Oropesa was arrested on May 2. He has been behind bars for about two weeks on $7.5 million bail.

He faces five counts of first-degree murder, one count for each victim he allegedly shot in a mass shooting on his block.

The murders were reportedly the result of a growing feud between neighbors after the defendant’s dog killed some of the family’s sheep and chickens. Houston Chronicle reports.

It was initially suggested that he committed a deadly rampage after the family of ten asked him to stop shooting his AR-15 rifle in his yard.

His lawyer, Anthony Osso, believes the district attorney’s office will raise charges against Oropesa in the near future

Oropesa’s attorney, Anthony Osso, said he fully expects the district attorney’s office to raise the charge to capital murder.

He added that some of the initial details of investigators claiming the shooting happened because a neighbor asked Oropesa to stop firing his gun in the yard may not be entirely accurate.

“We learn a lot more about that night every day, and the initial story about asking him not to shoot his gun in the backyard because a baby was sleeping probably won’t be proven,” Osso said.

District Attorney Todd Dillon also spoke Thursday morning, acknowledging that trying a death penalty case is a costly process, especially in a smaller county like San Jacinto.

“What matters is whether it serves the purposes of justice, whether this is a just result,” he said.

Costs can be upgraded when the case goes to a grand jury. Elements to be taken into account include the number of victims and the fact that one of them was a child.

Oropesa’s next scheduled hearing date is August 10.

Two other arrests were made after Oropesa’s. Divina Lamar Nava – Oropesa’s housemate – was charged with obstructing the apprehension of a felon, and according to the prosecutor, she was at the scene when Oropesa was arrested and is accused of aiding him.

One of the suspect’s friends, Domingo Castilla, was also arrested for possession of marijuana. He is also suspected of helping the alleged gunman flee the neighborhood.

The alleged shooter was flanked by armed law enforcement officers as he walked into the courthouse Thursday morning

Two of Oropesa’s victims, who lived in the house next door

Sonia Guzman and Daniel Enrique Lazo were two other victims of Oropesa. Daniel was only nine years old when he was killed

Diana Velasquez was another of Oropesa’s victims. All victims are said to be from Honduras and ten lived at the house

Oropesa was said to have been drunk at the time of the shooting

Two other arrests were made after Oropesa – his roommate and his friend – both of whom are believed to have tried to help him flee.

Initial reports after the late-night shooting painted a picture of Oropesa’s neighbors — a family of ten who all lived together — asking him to stop firing his gun because they were trying to put a baby to sleep.

Oropesa, who was known to often fire his shotgun in his yard, replied “I’ll do what I want in my front yard” and shot five members of the family with an AR-15 before fleeing.

When police arrived on the scene, they found two adult women dead in front of the house and a man dead in the living room.

According to San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers, the two women were covered in blood and lay on top of two young children who survived.

All victims were from Honduras, according to police.

Oropesa would have been drunk at the time.

Reports indicate that the alleged gunman has been deported from the US four times in the past 14 years.