Prosecutors in Texas are seeking the death penalty for two illegal immigrants from Venezuela accused of killing 12-year-old Joselyn Nungaray in June.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, a Democrat, told Fox & Friends on Friday that her office is currently working on two defendants, Franklin Pena, 26, and Johann Pena, who was indicted on murder charges in September. He said he is seeking the death penalty for Martinez Rangel, 22. Nungarai murder case.
Documents say Pena and Rangel kidnapped Nungaray and compressed his neck until he died. The two are also accused of sexually assaulting her before leaving her body under a bridge. Authorities said both suspects entered the United States illegally shortly before the killings.
A subsequent search warrant revealed that the men may be members of the bloodthirsty Venezuelan gang Torren de Aragua.
Franklin José Peña Ramos (left) and Johan José Martínez-Rangel were charged with the murder of Jocelyn Nangaray on Monday, June 17, in Houston, Texas. (Harris County Jail)
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“We plan to notify the state of Texas that we intend to seek the death penalty for Jocelyn's murderer,” Ogg said.
“We're calling for the death penalty because no matter who you are, especially if you're in this country illegally, if you kill a child in the process of rape and abuse, you'll get the same consequences as anyone else. Because we want to send a message to the world that we will face kidnapping.
Ms Ogg said she spoke to Mr Nungarai's parents before making the decision to seek the death penalty.
“We are making these decisions based on the strength of the evidence and the gruesome nature of this crime. Yes, I have spoken many times with Ms. Alexis Nungarai and her father,” Ogg said. Ta.
“Their families support this move. We will not let the victims make a choice. Prosecutors will decide what is most likely.” [to succeed]. However, we feel that a Texas jury will sentence these two defendants to death based on the evidence we have. ”
Prosecutors allege that Jocelyn left her mother's apartment on the night of June 16 to buy a soda at a convenience store, at which point the suspects lured her out of the store and kidnapped her.
Jocelyn Nangaray, 12, was found strangled to death in a Houston stream in June. (Courtesy of Fox Houston and the Nangarai family)
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“In this case, the defendant lured a 12-year-old girl under a bridge, where he and his co-defendants spent an extended period of time together.” [two] Over several hours, he removed her pants, tied her up, murdered her, and threw her body into the bayou,” Assistant District Attorney Michael Abner wrote in June.
The gruesome murder shocked the nation in September, when Nungarai's mother testified before the House Homeland Security Committee about the impact of illegal immigration crimes on Americans.
Nungarai told the commission that the suspects threw her daughter off the bridge thinking her DNA would be washed away in the stream below.
“Because of the Biden-Harris administration's open border policy, catch and release, they were enrolled in the Alternative to Detention Program,” Nangarai told lawmakers. “This meant they were released to the United States. Less than three full weeks later, they took the life of my daughter, Jocelyn Nungarai.
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Flowers and photos of Jocelyn Nungarai (Getty Images)
On Friday, Ogg also took a scalpel to the porous border under the Biden-Harris administration.
“Democrats' open borders policy has failed the American people. Had the Jocelyn Justice Act, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, or the policies being promoted by President-elect Trump, been in place, Jocelyn Nangarei could have survived. “This type of horrific crime by illegal immigrants crossing the border today must be stopped,” Ogg said.
“Jocelyn's family is in a situation they never dreamed would happen to them. It is unfair that anyone with children should be exposed to a criminal who committed a horrific crime that didn't need to happen. I think, if it weren't for these friends, Jocelyn would have survived. ”
“There are no parties involved in crime. Let's catch them.”
Fox News' Pilar Arias, Audrey Conklin and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
