Two men charged with the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston, Texas, have been identified as Venezuelan migrants who entered the United States illegally. Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, face capital murder charges for the heinous crime, as announced by Houston Police on Thursday.
According to sources from the Department of Homeland Security who spoke with Fox News, Pena Ramos entered the country illegally through El Paso in May. He was apprehended by border patrol agents and subsequently released with a Notice to Appear in court. Similarly, Rangel Martinez crossed into El Paso in March, was caught, and also released.
The investigation revealed that Martinez and Ramos were together at a restaurant on Sunday night. They later left the restaurant and encountered Nungaray, engaging in a brief conversation. The three then walked to a convenience store before heading to a bridge, where, according to law enforcement, Nungaray was murdered. The suspects left her body at the scene and returned to their apartment, which is believed to be the same complex where Nungaray lived.
The Harris County medical examiner confirmed that Nungaray died of strangulation. It has not been confirmed whether she was sexually assaulted prior to her death.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire responded to the tragic incident by emphasizing the importance of a timely judicial process.
“We’re going to be watching you; the arrests have taken place, and the charges have been filed. Now, we want the justice system to do its job. If there was ever a circumstance where you do not give someone bail, this is it,” Whitmire said. The tragic incident adds to the series of violent attacks that have been perpetrated by illegal immigrants who were initially apprehended by Border Patrol but still released into the country.
