HOUSTON, Texas — Two Venezuelan migrants are facing serious allegations in the brutal murder of a 12-year-old girl, Jocelyn Nungaray, whose body was discovered last month strangled and abandoned in a bayou. Authorities have confirmed that prior to her death, she also suffered sexual assault, a factor that is pivotal in determining whether the suspects will face the death penalty.
Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Pena, 26, were last seen with Nungaray under a bridge in Houston, a spot the girl was lured to before her killing. After spending around two hours at the location, only the men returned. The details of what transpired under the bridge are still under investigation, but the charges against Martinez and Pena have escalated to capital murder following the confirmation of the assault.
The discovery of Nungaray’s body, partially clothed and tossed into the waterway, shook the local community. Eyewitness accounts and surveillance footage revealed that the young girl had left her house on the evening of June 16 to walk to a nearby 7-11, where she encountered the suspects who subsequently accompanied her towards the bridge.
Prosecutors in Houston, led by District Attorney Kim Ogg, had been awaiting the results of forensic tests to establish evidence of sexual assault. Confirming such a crime would legally enhance the charges to a level that involves the death penalty under Texas law, which stipulates that capital murder can be charged if the victim is murdered during the commission of another felony.
While the suspects have been charged, the complexities of the case extend to the motivations and actions that led to such a heinous crime. In Texas, where capital murder can include killings of children aged between 10 and 15 regardless of accompanying crimes, the stakes are particularly high. The addition of a proven secondary crime like sexual assault would solidify the eligibility for capital punishment, but this is conditioned on the evidence.
Martinez and Pena were apprehended shortly after being recognized from surveillance video. Since their arrest, they remain in detention with bail set at $10 million each. During their court appearances, details emerged about the moments leading up to Nungaray’s death. Pena alleged in his testimony that he had tried to intervene as Martinez assaulted the girl.
The case has drawn considerable attention not only due to its brutality but also because of the legal and ethical questions it raises regarding juvenile victims and the application of the most severe penalties. Community members, still reeling from the horrific details of the crime, continue to follow the proceedings closely. Many, including Nungaray’s relatives and friends, arecalling for the fullest extent of justice.
Amid the ongoing investigation and court proceedings, the community has come together to remember the young victim. A funeral service was held last week, attended by hundreds of mourners including Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott. The ceremony became not only a moment of mourning but also a space for collective solidarity in face of tragedy.
As the district attorney’s office continues to gather conclusive evidence, the case remains a focal point of both legal scrutiny and public grief. The community, bonded in its mourning, holds on to hope for justice in the somber memory of a life lost too soon.