Jocelyn Nungaray, the 12-year-old Houston girl found strangled to death last week, fought back against her attackers, two illegal immigrants who lured her under a bridge where they sexually assaulted her, prosecutors said Tuesday.
The alleged killers, Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, met each other when they were both on their way to the United States from Venezuela and then later connected in Houston, Fox Houston reported.
Bail for Martinez, a father of two young children, 2 and 5, who aren’t in Texas, was set at $10 million after prosecutors labeled him a flight risk. He still had marks on him left by Nungaray during the June 16 attack, authorities said. Nungaray’s hands and feet were bound, she was nude from the waist down, had marks on her neck, and scrapes on her backside consistent with being dragged, prosecutors said.
‘EVIDENCE IS CLEAR THAT A SEXUAL ASSAULT LIKELY HAPPENED,’ PROSECUTOR SAYS
Ramos told authorities he tried to convince Martinez to stop, but he allegedly refused and climbed on top of the girl and strangled her, according to Harris County prosecutor Megan Long. He said Martinez strangled her and suggested placing her in the water to remove DNA evidence.
“It’s especially difficult when it’s a loss of a 12-year-old child who had their whole life ahead of them. So, this will be an emotional case for us as prosecutors as well as the family,” Long said.
Martinez allegedly told authorities that he tied Jocelyn’s legs and instructed Pena to throw her in the bayou. Martinez had bite marks and scratches on his arm and had shaved his beard to avoid detection, authorities allege.
After the killing, Ramos allegedly sent a message to his boss at a construction crew saying the two had been partying the night of the killing and that someone ended up dead, and they needed money to leave town, prosecutors said.
Ramos, who entered the U.S. illegally a month before the killing, appeared in court on Monday where he was also given a $10 million bail amount. Both men are charged with capital murder.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT ACCUSED OF KILLING JOCELYN NUNGARAY WORE ICE ANKLE MONITOR
Harris County District Court Judge Josh Hill said he set a high bail amount because he didn’t want Ramos or Martinez to flee, but also because he didn’t want them to get deported.
“I’ve seen individuals go into ICE custody, go through the deportation or removal process where they have been ordered to be removed… and that the feds have deported or removed those individuals with the Harris County criminal charges still pending,” Hill said. “And it puts us in the position where those charges would never be answered.”
The killing shocked the community in and around Houston and was one in a series of crimes involving illegal immigrants this month.
Harris County Judge Lina Hildago, who often comments on local and national political matters, including illegal immigration, has not publicly said anything about the slaying. Fox News Digital has reached out to her office.
Nungaray’s family, including her mother Alexis Nungaray, was in court Tuesday. Melfri Vargas, stepmother to Alexis Nungaray, called Rangel a “murderer” and said, “I hope they kill your children,” the news station reported.
