HOUSTON – Two men have been arrested in connection to the death of a 12-year-old girl who was found strangled in a north Houston creek earlier this week.
Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Pena, 26, have both been charged with capital murder.
On Friday, after learning of the arrest, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a statement saying that the two men were both illegal immigrants from Venezuela who had been detained and released by the U.S. Border Patrol a month before the murder.
“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 ICE statement read, in part.
What Happened?
On June 17, Martinez-Rangel and Pena are accused of murdering 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray and throwing her body in a creek.
Thanks to surveillance video, investigators were able to piece together a great deal about the suspects and their whereabouts on the day of the murder.
Investigators said Martinez-Rangel and Pena were first spotted at a restaurant located on Northborough Drive, close to the Canfield Lake Apartments, where they lived.
Moments later, investigators said the two men met up with Jocelyn on Kuykendahl Road and continued to the 7-Eleven convenience store on Rankin and Kuykendahl, where additional surveillance video captured the three together.
The group stayed at the convenience store for a few minutes, according to investigators, before leaving and walking to a bridge where authorities believe the girl was murdered.
Court documents state that Martinez-Rangel and Pena lured Jocelyn to the bridge where they stayed with her for over two hours, removed her pants, tied her up, killed her, and threw her body into the creek. After, investigators said the suspects walked back to their apartment.
It’s not clear why the suspects murdered the teen, but investigators said while taking the two men into custody for questioning on Thursday, they found evidence inside their apartment related to Jocelyn’s murder.
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