'Could have been avoided': Two illegal immigrants arrested for murder of 12-year-old girl

HOUSTON, TX - Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, illegal immigrants from Venezuela, one of whom reportedly entered the U.S. just weeks ago and was captured and released, were arrested Thursday in connection to the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray.

According to KPRC 2, the last images of Jocelyn Nungaray before she died were captured by a 7-Eleven surveillance camera at 12:17 a.m.  on June 17th. In the still frames, she can be seen walking with two men, suspected by police to be Martinez and Pena Ramos.

Nearly six hours later, a woman phoned police and reported a body while driving past a creek along West Rankin Road. Around the same time, Nungaray's mother, Alexis, awoke to find her missing from her bed. Alexis attempted to ping her phone, which showed her location near a creek.

Alexis headed there, only to find police officers establishing the crime scene. An hour later, officers informed her that a body, possibly Jocelyn's was located. 

In a statement released by the HPD, investigators confirmed that the victim was Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, and that her cause of death was strangulation.

On June 20th, Martinez and Pena Ramos were detained, then arrested when police found evidence connected to Jocelyn's death in their apartment. They are being charged with capital murder.
 

BREAKING: One of the migrants charged with k*lling 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray was released into the United States weeks ago.

Thanks, Democrats.

According to the New York Post, one of the men was released into the US after he claimed he was afraid for his life.

Johan Jose… pic.twitter.com/g8IpR5jhRo

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 20, 2024

As reported by The New York Post, much of this story may begin on May 14th, when Martinez was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), having entered the US illegally at an unknown location and date.

Two weeks later, Pena Ramos was captured in El Paso. Both were released with GPS trackers under the current Biden Administration Alternatives to Detention (ATD) policy for illegal immigrants.

According to a statement from ICE obtained by KPRC, "Martinez and Pena both illegally entered the U.S. without inspection, parole or admission by a U.S. immigration officer on an unknown date and at an unknown location. On March 14, Martinez was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol near El Paso, Texas.

"That same day he was released on an order of recognizance with a notice to appear. Pena was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol on May 28 near El Paso. He was also released on an order of recognizance with a notice to appear the same day he was apprehended."
 

The Post revealed that ICE agents reportedly placed a GPS monitor on Pena Ramos to monitor his location for 21 days and one was placed on Martinez as well before he was removed from the tracking program in May. It is unknown if Pena Ramos was being tracked at the time of the murder.
 

UPDATE: Booking photos of Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Pena, 26, now charged with capital murder in the death of 12-yr-old Jocelyn Nungaray on June 17.

More info at: https://t.co/p4IMEWpTaI#HouNews https://t.co/e701fBDHdl pic.twitter.com/2a3yELHMKf

— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) June 21, 2024

Alexis Nungaray told reporters that her daughter had snuck out of their apartment late on Sunday night, adding that her daughter was taken "advantage of" by the older men. “I’m like angry that they took advantage of her. She was so young. She was 12, you took my baby away, you took her away. Now, I get to let her little brother know his older sister is never coming home,” she said.

“She turned into a beautiful, beautiful young lady,” Alexis said. “I was really looking forward to seeing how she was gonna be and they took every opportunity away from me and my family.”

The US House Committee on Homeland Security issued a press release Friday regarding Nungaray's murder, stressing that Nungaray's murder was preventable.

The Committee wrote, "The two illegal aliens suspected in Nungaray’s murder were apprehended on March 14, 2024, and May 28, 2024, respectively. On March 10, roughly 2,500 ICE beds stood empty, while on May 19, roughly 5,000 beds were available, and around 3,000 were available on June 2."

They added, "Per The New York Post’s reporting, both Venezuelan nationals implicated in Nungaray’s murder were on ATD and fitted with a GPS tracker. Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, who entered in late May, was going to be monitored for only three weeks, despite the fact his court date was set for early July. Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, apprehended in March, was given a court date in August, but removed from ATD in May. 'Nonsensical' is a generous way to describe such a policy."

Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN), said, "My heart aches for these women and their families and loved ones. These tragedies could have been avoided if the Biden administration would simply enforce the laws they swore to uphold."