Police in Houston, Texas arrested two Venezuelan migrants, Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26, and Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, in relation to the homicide of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl. Her strangled body was discovered in a marshy creek on Monday, June 17, prompting capital murder charges to be filed against the two men and $10 million bonds set.
Nungaray was reported missing after sneaking out of her house late Sunday night. Critical surveillance footage obtained by the police presented the suspects following her into a local convenience store, a key piece of evidence that led to their arrest at the apartment they shared.
Peña Ramos entered the U.S. illegally near El Paso, Texas on May 28 and was released the same day on an order of recognizance, with a notice to appear in court. He was equipped with a GPS tracker that monitored his movements and had it on during the murder. He removed it himself, days after the body was found. Similarly, Martinez also entered the U.S. illegally on March 14 and was freed on a recognizance order with a notice to appear. He had been allowed to remove his tracker when he complied with immigration check-ins.
Peña Ramos blamed Martinez-Rangel, who appeared in court with bite or scratch marks on his arms, for the murder. After the approximately two-hour assault and strangulation of the half-naked 12-year-old, the men tied Nungaray’s legs together and threw her into the creek. Around the time the body was found, Peña Ramos asked his boss at a construction site for money to help them leave Houston, but instead, the boss called the police. Martinez-Rangel’s phone showed that he googled ways to escape the country.
Alexis Nungaray, the mother of Jocelyn, expressed her grief and anger, stating, “I’m angry that they took advantage of her. She was only 12. They took my baby away, and now I have to tell her little brother that his sister isn’t coming home.”
Addressing the case, Houston Mayor John Whitmire emphasized his personal connection as a parent and grandparent, underlining that this incident represents a situation where bail should be refused.
The Department of Homeland Security has started to scrutinize the immigration histories of the suspects, underscoring the difficulties involved in obtaining comprehensive criminal records from nations such as Venezuela.
In the wake of this tragedy, the local community has rallied around the Nungaray family. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover funeral expenses and provide some financial assistance during this difficult time. The fundraising campaign has already raised over $36,000.
Local law enforcement officials are encouraging anyone with further information to assist in the ongoing investigation.
