ATLANTA, Georgia – The murder of Jocelyn Nungaray has shocked the city of Houston and made headlines across the country since she was found strangled to death in a north Houston creek on June 17.
Funeral services were held for Jocelyn Thursday.
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At Thursday night’s presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, Trump, without mentioning Jocelyn’s name, said he had spoken to her mother before the debate.
“I just spoke to the mother and they just had the funeral for this girl, 12-years-old, this is horrible what’s taken place,” he said.
The case garnered national attention and statements were also made prior to the debate Thursday.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed recently that the two suspects in the murder, Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and Franklin Pena, both undocumented immigrants from Venezuela, had been detained and subsequently released by the U.S. Border Patrol—one of whom just weeks before the murder. According to ICE, both men entered the U.S. illegally and were apprehended near El Paso, Texas. They were released on orders of recognizance with notices to appear in court, but neither man was detained for long.
In response to the incident, a White House spokesperson expressed condolences to Jocelyn’s family: “Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of Jocelyn Nungaray. We cannot comment on active law enforcement cases. But fundamentally, anyone found guilty of this type of heinous and shocking crime should be held accountable, to the fullest extent of the law.”
- READ THE FULL TIMELINE: Significant events surrounding death of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray
Former President Donald Trump, meanwhile, attributed Jocelyn’s death to the Biden administration’s border policies. Trump shared a post on Truth Social from Oli London about Jocelyn’s murder, blaming the administration’s immigration stance for her tragic death.
“We have a new Biden Migrant Killing - It’s only going to get worse, and it’s all Crooked Joe Biden’s fault. He’s a disgrace to the Office of President, he’s a disgrace to America. I look forward to seeing him at the Fake Debate on Thursday. Let him explain why he has allowed MILLIONS of people to come into our Country illegally!” Trump posted.
Lauren Hitt, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign, responded by criticizing Trump’s approach: “Donald Trump is making Americans less safe by blocking the border deal.”