Harris County prosecutors announced Friday they will pursue capital punishment for two Venezuelan nationals charged with the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston, Texas, a case that has intensified national debate over immigration policies.
Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26, face capital murder charges for allegedly kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and strangling the young girl in June. Her body was discovered in a creek on June 17, with medical examiners confirming strangulation as the cause of death.
District Attorney Kim Ogg emphasized the particularly heinous nature of the crime, noting that both suspects had previously been detained at the border but were released with notices to appear in court. Martinez-Rangel was apprehended in March and Peña in May near El Paso before their release.
The case has become politically charged, with Nungaray’s mother campaigning for President-elect Donald Trump and advocating for stricter border control. The incident joins other high-profile cases, including the recent life sentence of Jose Ibarra for the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, in fueling debate over immigration enforcement.
Both suspects remain in custody under $10 million bonds each. The prosecution will transition to incoming District Attorney Sean Teare following Ogg’s departure at month’s end. Defense attorney Daniel Werlinger indicated prosecutors had previously notified them of the death penalty decision.
