Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, a 22-year-old Venezuelan national, and Franklin Pena, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national, have been accused of the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston, Texas. These individuals, who are illegally present in the United States, were released into the country by the Department of Homeland Security under President Joe Biden’s administration after crossing the southern border.
Martinez-Rangel was apprehended near El Paso, Texas, by Border Patrol agents and subsequently released into the U.S. interior with a Notice to Appear before a federal immigration judge. Pena, on the other hand, was apprehended near El Paso on May 28 and released into the U.S. interior on the same day. It was just 20 days later that he allegedly participated in the murder of Jocelyn, according to the Houston Police Department.
Martinez-Rangel and Pena are part of the 7.4 million migrants who have been released from DHS custody and are currently residing in various communities across America while awaiting their deportation hearings.
On the evening of June 16, Jocelyn discreetly left her apartment complex after her mother had fallen asleep. According to reports, Jocelyn’s boyfriend was the last person known to have spoken to her. Surveillance cameras captured Jocelyn, Martinez-Rangel, and Pena together at a 7/11 convenience store shortly after midnight.
Authorities stated that Jocelyn, Martinez-Rangel, and Pena eventually made their way to a nearby bridge after leaving the store. Police allege that between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., Martinez-Rangel and Pena strangled Jocelyn to death and left her lifeless body in a creek near the bridge. Jocelyn’s remains were discovered in the creek later that day.
“In this case, the defendant[s] lured a 12-year-old under a bridge … took her pants off, tied her up and killed her, then threw her body into the bayou,” prosecutors allege.
Martinez-Rangel and Pena are currently being held in Harris County Jail, as prosecutors are seeking a bail amount of $1 million for each of them. In addition, ICE agents have issued a detainer on both individuals, expressing their desire to take custody of them in the event of their release from jail.
