District Attorney Kim Ogg of Harris County, Texas, stated Tuesday that “circumstantial evidence” is needed to prove that a 12-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a pair of illegal immigrants, who could potentially receive the death penalty.
Franklin Jose Pena Ramos and Johan Jose Rangel Martinez crossed into the United States from Venezuela illegally earlier this year and have been charged with capital murder for the death of Jocelyn Nungaray. Ogg was asked if the two suspects in Nungaray’s murder could receive the death penalty, to which she said Nungaray “endured assault for multiple hours,” calling her last moments of life “unspeakable.”
“We see footage from local stores that show they lured her under a bridge near a Houston bayou where they attacked her, strangled her, and dragged her body into the water,” Ogg said on Fox News’s America’s Newsroom. “The evidence is clear that a sexual assault likely happened, but since neither defendant has actually admitted that, circumstantial evidence will have to prove it. We are waiting on lab tests now to see if the capital murder charge can be upgraded to one where they are death penalty eligible.”
Martinez received a $10 million bond during a court appearance Tuesday, the same bond amount that Pena received. Toward the end of his court appearance, one of Nungaray’s family members shouted “murderer” and “I hope they kill your children” in Spanish.
Ogg added that Houston, Texas, located in Harris County, is considered “a huge international hub” in the Southwest and attracts people from across the country. She also said the city has seen “a great deal of violence” committed by illegal immigrants, a major problem the city is dealing with.
“I’m just sick and sickened that this little girl was the innocent victim of these two monsters,” Ogg said.
Ogg was then asked about the visit Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is making to Texas on Tuesday and what she wants the secretary to know regarding the pressure local law enforcement faces about border security. In response, Ogg explained the morale of police officers who see people committing crimes while wearing ankle monitors, referencing a report that stated the two suspects in Nungaray’s murder were released into the country with ankle monitors.
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In a press conference Monday, Ogg argued that the United State’s immigration system is “broken” and that Nungaray’s case reflects this to a large degree.
Nungaray’s mother, Alexis, also spoke at the press conference, during which she condemned the “monsters” for taking her daughter from her. She also gave her thanks for all the support she has received in the wake of her daughter’s death.
