Attorneys for Texas looking to apply the death penalty two Venezuelan migrants, accused of the murder and rape of Jocelyn Nungaraya 12-year-old girl, in June of this year. The accused, identified as Franklin Pena26, and Johan Martinez-Rangel, 22, face murder charges following the death of Nungaraywhose body was found in a stream under a bridge.
Fox News reports that the defendants initially They did not qualify for the death penaltybut, later, the discovery of evidence of sexual assault classified the case as capital murder. Kim Ogg, County District Attorney Harrisexplained to “Fox and Friends” that this decision was made due to “the strength of the evidence” and “the atrocity of the crime.” He added that “yes, I have spoken with Alexis Nungaray (victim’s mother) on multiple occasions, along with her father. “His family supports this measure.”
The murder of Jocelyn Nungaray It was classified as “thick” and the evidence presented was key to defining the decision to seek the maximum penalty, Fox News reported. The report highlights that Ogg was confident that a “Texas jury will sentence these two defendants to death based on the evidence we have.”
“I think we don’t make victims choose; our prosecutors determine what is most likely. But we are convinced that a jury in Texas will sentence these two defendants to the death penalty based on the evidence we have. Therefore, today we notify the defense and the court that this is our intention,” he stated during his interview.
“We will present a notice by the state of texas indicating our intention to seek the death penalty against the murderers of Jocelyn: Peña y Rangel. Both are Venezuelan citizens. They were captured while committing a crime by entering this country illegally and, days later, they murdered and raped Jocelyn Nungaray. “We are seeking the death penalty because we want to send the message that regardless of who you are, but especially if you are in this country illegally, you will face the same consequences as anyone else for murdering a child after rape and kidnapping,” he said. .
“These types of horrible crimes committed by illegal immigrants crossing our border must stop. The family of Jocelyn They are in a situation they never imagined, and I think it is unfair that anyone with children is exposed to criminals committing heinous crimes that should not happen. If these men had not been in our country, Jocelyn would be alive. If the Border Patrolhad been kept in custody, as Senator (Ted) Cruz’s bill would have required, Jocelyn would be alive. “What really affects prosecutors, and me in this case, is that it was a preventable crime,” he said.
He took advantage of the moment to show himself in favor of more restrictive policies for the arrival of migrants, just as President-elect Donald Trump is promoting. The case of the minor has been one of the topics that the Republican addressed in his campaign, after meeting with Alexis Nungaray in August, during a tour of Arizona. “Jocelyn was a 12-year-old girl whose life was stolen by two illegal criminals that (Kamala) Harris released into our country for no reason,” Trump said.
The girl’s mother has questioned why the two alleged killers were not detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “They had no reason to do what they did to Jocelyn. There were over 300 beds available in detention centers that they should have been in because they were detained. They released them when they shouldn’t have. One had an ankle monitor that didn’t impede anything. So now I have to get on with the rest of my life,” he said at that meeting. Alexis Nungaray. The girl’s family has remained in contact with President-elect Donald Trump since then.
On the other hand, the Houston Police Homicide Division He offered details about the arrest. In a statement, they reported that initial investigations revealed signs of “foul play” after Jocelyn’s body was found lifeless in a shallow creek. The identification of the suspects was made thanks to surveillance photographs and witness testimonies.
According to Houston Police, officers were able to arrest theThe suspects Martínez-Rangel and Peña on June 20 at an apartment complex located in the 13300 block of Northborough Drive, through a joint operation by its crime suppression team and other specialized divisions. The arrests were carried out without major incident.
The two suspects are being held in jail. harris county with a bail of 10 million dollars each. The case has garnered widespread attention in the media and the community, and the Harris County Prosecutor’s Office remains steadfast in its intention to achieve an exemplary conviction. Ogg noted that “just filing charges is only half the battle,” reaffirming his confidence in the judicial process.
Since their arrest, the defendants face formal charges of capital murder in the 232nd District State Court, as reported by the Houston Policewhich called on anyone with additional information about the case to contact the Homicide Division.
