Democrat DA to Pursue Death Penalty for Venezuelan Immigrants in Case of 12-Year-Old Jocelyn Nungaray’s Rape and Murder – One America News Network
OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
4:42 PM – Friday, December 13, 2024
Kim Ogg, the departing Democrat district attorney for Harris County, has declared that her office plans to seek the death penalty for the two illegal aliens accused of raping and murdering 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray.
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“We will file a notice to the state of Texas indicating our intention to pursue the death penalty against Jocelyn’s killers, Peña and Rangel. Both of them are Venezuelan nationals who were apprehended while committing a crime, having entered this country illegally, and only days later they murdered and raped Jocelyn Nungaray,” Ogg stated during her appearance on Fox News on Friday.
“We are pushing for capital punishment because we want to convey the message that irrespective of your identity, especially if you are in this country illegally, you will face the same repercussions as anyone else for the murder of a child during the course of rape and kidnapping,” she added.
Nungaray suffered through torture, rape, and strangulation before her body was discarded in a creek close to her residence. Her remains were discovered at 6:49 a.m. on June 17th. Authorities noted that her “wrists and feet were tied.”
After Jocelyn put up a fight, the two alleged killers subjected her to “hours” of torture before sexually assaulting, strangling, and leaving her partially naked body in the nearby creek.
Franklin Peña, 26, and Johan Martinez Rangel, 22, who are said to be affiliated with the violent gang “Tren de Aragua,” were charged with capital murder in June. According to prosecutors, Peña was wearing an ankle monitor when ICE apprehended him, and they believe he removed or broke it either before or after committing the crime.
The DA’s office mentioned that they will inform Judge Josh Hill’s 232nd District Court on Friday regarding their intention to pursue death penalties in this case. Additionally, Peña, Martinez Rangel, and their legal representatives will also receive this notification.
“Jocelyn’s murder was as horrific, brutal, and senseless as any case I have worked on during my time as district attorney,” Ogg expressed in a statement. “The fact that these two men were in the country illegally intensifies the tragedy; had they been detained after being intercepted at the border, Jocelyn would still be alive today, and her family would not be suffering this unbearable loss.”
According to detectives from the Houston Police Department, they believe Nungaray left her family’s apartment around 10 p.m. the night before her body was found in the creek.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that both men entered the country illegally near El Paso without undergoing inspection. They were later “granted parole or admitted by immigration authorities.”
Following the devastating murder of her 12-year-old daughter, Jocelyn Nungaray’s mother, Alexis Nungaray, has become a fervent advocate for border security, frequently aligning herself with Republican figures such as President-elect Donald Trump and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas). She also expressed her frustration and disbelief that neither President Biden nor Vice President Harris reached out to her after the horrific incident gained national attention.
“Kamala Harris has not made any attempt to contact me, not even to extend her condolences as a fellow human being leading this country,” Nungaray stated. “It’s disheartening that she has not even offered me a simple, sincere apology,” the mother added.
“Jocelyn was a preteen, just months away from becoming a teenager, out doing what all teens do—going to the corner store for a soda. She became a target for two illegal Venezuelan immigrants who viewed her as prey for their horrific actions,” the mother remarked in a testimony delivered to the House of Representatives Committee on September 10th.
Nungaray also revealed to the press that Trump reached out to her the day after her daughter’s funeral, offering his heartfelt condolences.
“Alexis, it’s Donald Trump. I’m calling to express my warmest regards to you and your family. It’s terrible what happened, and I will call you later. Just do your best; it’s a horrible situation that should have never occurred. Everyone cares about you and your beautiful daughter. I can’t explain what’s happening in this country, so please take care of yourself. I will reach out again, and please extend my warmest regards to Jocelyn’s friends and family,” Trump said in his voicemail.
This year marks the end of DA Ogg’s second and final term in office. She will be succeeded by Sean Teare, one of her former prosecutors, who won against Ogg in the Democrat primary in March and went on to defeat Republican Dan Simons in the November general election.
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