HOUSTON, Texas — Five people were fatally shot inside a house near Cleveland, Texas allegedly over a noise complaint at the end of April.
Their accused killer and neighbor, Francisco Oropeza, is just beginning his lengthy legal journey.
"We want to make sure our client’s rights are fully protected,” said Houston-based defense attorney Anthony Osso.
Osso is on a list of lawyers approved to handle potential death penalty cases for indigent defendants and was contacted by a judge in San Jacinto County where the homicides occurred.
"And he asked me if I would consider representing him,” Osso said in his first TV interview about the case.
He said he agreed with the stipulation of selecting his own team, which includes co-counsel Lisa Andrews.
"And, obviously, the stakes are very high,” said Andrews.
Both have already been to Coldspring to meet with their client in person although details of the conversation are part of attorney-client privilege.
"We tell him about what he’s been charged with, the factual allegations as we know them because our information is limited at this point,” said Andrews.
They said they also talked about court procedures and a timeline which, for the attorneys, includes recruiting their own investigators and various experts.
"We know that there were multiple shell casings recovered, there are multiple bodies with gunshot wounds," said Osso. "So firearms experts become critical.”
An adequate defense is also critical in order to avoid legal challenges down the road.
"It is going to be highly scrutinized from word go,” said Andrews.
The county is responsible for covering costs associated with the prosecution and defense in cases like this which are rare in San Jacinto County.
There's a lot that still has to be worked out.
Oropeza remains locked up on a $7.5 million dollar bond as of May 10.