Alexis Nungaray, the mother of a 12-year-old Houston girl who was murdered back in June, spoke alongside former President Donald Trump at an event at the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona Thursday afternoon.
The men accused of killing Jocelyn Nungaray, 22-year-old Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and 26-year-old Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, are undocumented immigrants from Venezuela who entered the country illegally and had each been apprehended by Border Patrol agents near El Paso earlier this year.
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Trump was first linked to the situation when he claimed to have spoken with Alexis Nungaray during the first presidential debate against then-assumed Democratic nominee and current U.S. President Joe Biden. The debate took place 10 days after Jocelyn’s murder.
Before Alexis spoke, the former president acknowledged the grief Alexis has felt over the past two months.
“Alexis, we cannot fathom your pain,” Trump said. “There are so many people that are going through this pain, but we pledge to always hold Jocelyn in our hearts.”
Alexis thanked Trump and his staff for allowing her to speak. She then briefly described the crimes, adding that a DNA kit has led investigators to believe her daughter was assaulted.
“It’s still very, very early. It’s still very, very raw. It’s still very, very surreal,” Alexis Nungaray said.
On the topic of the immigration status of Jocelyn’s suspected killers, Alexis said the crime should have never even been possible.
“There was over 300 detention beds that they should have been at [sic], because they were detained, and they were released when they shouldn’t have been released,” Alexis said. “One had an ankle monitor, but that didn’t stop anything. So now I have to go through the rest of my life with my son always asking for his sister.”
Alexis endorsed Trump during the speech, saying that he is needed to provide security to the U.S. border. The former president appeared to pat Alexis’ shoulder as she spoke.
“We’re losing very innocent people to heinous crimes that shouldn’t be happening in the first place,” Alexis added. So please, please, I really hope everybody can hear my pain.”
After she had finished speaking, Trump embraced her briefly.