Illegal immigrant charged with murder of 12-year-old Texas girl
Fox News’ Mike Tobin reports on the latest on the death of Jocelyn Nangaray. The “Outnumbered” panel discussed the brutal murder and the latest on her suspected killer, who authorities say entered the U.S. illegally.
Two illegal immigrant suspects charged with strangling 12-year-old Jocelyn Nangaray this week “lured” her under a Houston bridge, tied her up and killed her, prosecutors allege in new court documents obtained by Fox News.
Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26, are each charged with murder., Prosecutors are asking for bail to be set at $1 million.
“In this case, the defendant lured a 12-year-old girl under a bridge and, after remaining with her and an accomplice for more than two hours, removed her pants, tied her up, killed her, and threw her body into the bayou,” Harris County Assistant District Attorney Michael Abner wrote.
On Thursday, Fox News reported that the two suspects, both from Venezuela, had illegally entered the US before being released from custody. A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the news on Friday, saying in a statement that “both Martinez and Peña illegally entered the US on an unknown date and in an unknown location without being inspected, paroled or admissible by US immigration officials.”
An illegal immigrant suspect in the murder of a Texas girl was recently arrested by the Border Patrol and released into the US.
Franklin Jose Peña Ramos (left) and Johan Jose Rangel Martinez are charged with murdering Jocelyn Nungaray on Monday, June 17, in Houston, Texas. (Harris County Jail)
“Martinez was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol near El Paso, Texas, on March 14. He was released on bond with a summons to appear the same day,” the spokesperson added. “Peña was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol near El Paso on May 28. He was also released on bond with a summons to appear the same day he was arrested.”
Houston Police Lt. Steven Hope said investigators used surveillance footage to track Rangel Martinez and Peña Ramos’ movements before and after the killing.
Earlier this week, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said Nangaray had snuck out of her parents’ apartment and was at a convenience store talking on the phone with her 13-year-old boyfriend, who told investigators he heard Nangaray speaking with two people.
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This week, 12-year-old Jocelyn Nangaray was found strangled to death in a creek in Houston. (Courtesy of Fox26 Houston and the Nungarei Family)
Meanwhile, Rangel Martinez and Peña Ramos spent the night together at a restaurant on Sunday night, police said.
The two were seen leaving the restaurant and meeting with Nungaray, where they spoke for several minutes, after which Rangel Martinez and Peña Ramos walked with Jocelyn to a 7-Eleven convenience store.
Video images of Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26, and an image of Jocelyn Nungaray (Courtesy of Houston Police Department, Fox Houston and the Nungarei Family)
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The three then walked to a bridge, where Nungaray was killed, investigators said. Police said Rangel Martinez and Peña Ramos then walked to the apartment where the two lived and left the girl’s body there. Police believe the two lived in the same apartment building as Nungaray.
Fox News’ Griff Jenkins contributed to this report.
