Judge sets $10 million bail for Venezuelan man accused of killing 12-year-old girl in Houston

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas judge set $10 million bail Monday for an undocumented Venezuelan man accused of killing a 12-year-old Houston girl whose body was found in a creek after she disappeared while She was heading to a convenience store.

Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26, is one of two men charged with capital murder in the death of Jocelyn Nungaray. The other is Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22 years old.

Peña’s bail was set at a hearing in which prosecutors told District Judge Josh Hill that he and Martinez-Rangel tried to flee the Houston area after the killing.

The two men are Venezuelan nationals who entered the United States illegally in March, according to a statement released Friday by the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. The U.S. Border Patrol near El Paso, Texas, arrested Martinez-Rangel on March 14 and Peña on March 28. Both were released with orders to appear in court at a later date.

Immigration is a top concern among voters, with many saying President Joe Biden is not doing enough to secure the nation’s borders. Earlier this month, Biden revealed plans to immediately impose significant restrictions on migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Peña and Martinez-Rangel are now under immigration control by federal authorities, meaning they would remain in custody even if they were able to post bond. Martinez-Rangel is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday to review his bond status.

Nungaray’s body was found June 17 in a shallow creek after police said she had sneaked out of her nearby home the night before. She died of strangulation, according to the medical examiner.

The suspects allegedly lured Nungaray under a bridge and stayed there with her for more than two hours, according to court documents.

Prosecutors say the men took off her pants, tied her up and killed her before dumping her body in the bayou. It does not appear the two men knew the 12-year-old, Harris County Prosecutor Kim Ogg said.

“Make no mistake, this is a horrible crime,” Ogg said at a news conference after Peña’s court hearing.

Lisa Andrews, Peña’s court-appointed attorney, did not immediately respond to a call and email seeking comment.

The victim’s mother, Alexis Nungaray, remembered her daughter Monday as a quirky person who “really made people laugh.”

“I will always remember these memories because she had such a bright future ahead of her and I knew she would go very far,” she said. “These monsters took this opportunity from him and his family.”

Police arrested Martinez-Rangel and Peña on Thursday, who investigators said were roommates. Authorities said surveillance video showed two men approaching Jocelyn Nungaray before walking with her to a Houston convenience store. The three men then walked together to a bridge, where the girl was killed, police said.

Kelvin Alvarenga, the grandfather of Jocelyn Nungaray, said Monday that his granddaughter’s death could have been avoided if the country’s immigration system had been “remade.”

“I don’t believe that everyone who crosses the border is bad. But among them there are some who are,” he said. “Why don’t we take more time and investigate these people who come here?

Ogg said Peña and Martinez-Rangel’s capital murder charges are not eligible for the death penalty. But if additional DNA testing or other evidence shows the victim was sexually assaulted or kidnapped, the death penalty would be possible, she said.

___

Follow Juan A. Lozano: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.