close
close

Dramatic courtroom scenes as Jocelyn Nungaray’s family learns how she fought against rape by migrants with her last breath



Jocelyn Nungaray’s heartbroken family heard the young girl struggle with her final breath as migrants raped and strangled her before dumping her body in a Houston bayou.

Jocelyn Nungaray’s body was found floating in a creek near her Houston home after she was lured under a bridge and sexually assaulted for two hours by Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26.

The two migrants from Venezuela who crossed the border into Texas despite being blocked by border officials (Pena Ramos had only entered the country a month ago) now face capital crimes charges.

Although prosecutors and police believe that the young girl was raped, they are waiting for the results of a rape test before they can charge either of the men with sexual assault.

During dramatic courtroom scenes, a member of Jocelyn’s family shouted “murderer” at Rangel-Martinez, who has two children, ages 5 and 2, Click2 Houston reported.

She said in Spanish, “I hope they kill your children,” as the handcuffed Rangel-Martinez left the Harris County courtroom.

Alexis Nungaray, Jocelyn’s mother (center), with other heartbroken family members during a press conference on Monday after one of the defendants, Franklin Pena, appeared in court on Monday.
Jocelyn, 12, was lured under a bridge in Houston last week and sexually abused for two hours before being strangled by two illegal immigrants
Franklin Pena, one of two men accused of murdering 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, is led out of the courtroom after bail was set at $10 million

The two men have not been charged with sexual assault or rape, nor have they admitted to the heinous act.

On Tuesday, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg appeared on Fox’s “America’s Newsroom” and said, “The evidence is clear and suggests that this was likely a sexual assault. However, since none of the defendants admitted to it, circumstantial evidence must be used.”

“We are now waiting for laboratory tests to see if the charge can be upgraded to a capital offense that would warrant the death penalty.”

During the trial, prosecutors said Martinez-Rangel had bite marks and scratches on his arm and shaved his beard after the murder to avoid detection.

“When he was arrested, Rangel Martinez still had traces of Jocelyn on him,” the lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant District Attorney Megan Long, said in court.

Pena Ramos told police he allegedly tried to convince Rangel Martinez to stop, but he allegedly refused, climbed on top of Jocelyn and strangled her, Long said.

She also said that Rangel Martinez allegedly told Pena Ramos that he had to “finish what he started” while covering the young girl’s mouth.

The prosecutor admitted to tying up Jocelyn and dumping her body in the bayou, the New York Post reported.

On Monday, Franklin Peña, who is also accused of murdering the 12-year-old, claimed he only kissed Jocelyn and denied any wrongdoing.

On Tuesday, the judge set bail for Rangel Martinez at $10 million, saying he posed a potential flight risk.

Jocelyn’s grieving mother Alexis was