One of the two Venezuelan illegal immigrants accused of killing 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray appeared in court on Monday, as horrific new details about her death emerged.
Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, made headlines late last week after it was revealed he should have never been in the US in the first place, sparking a firestorm online.
The story gained even more attention after social media users noticed various mainstream media outlets omitting the key “illegal immigrant” descriptor from their reporting.
Pena Ramos crossed into El Paso, Texas, illegally back in May, was apprehended, then later released into the US with a Notice to Appear in court.
Je and his roommate Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, stand accused of raping and killing the preteen before disposing of her body in a Houston bayou.
Pena Ramos was released into the country after telling border patrol officials he feared for his life if sent back to Venezuela.
Daily Mail reported he also claimed he was going to live with a cousin in Houston, but instead became roommates with Rangel Martinez.
District Attorney Kim Ogg explained Monday that both men now face capital murder charges and could be sentenced to the death penalty if the ongoing investigation reveals evidence that Nungaray was sexually assaulted or kidnapped.
“Our immigration system is broken, and if there was ever a case that reflected that it’s this one,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg declared at a news conference following the bail hearing.
Pena Ramos donned a yellow jumpsuit on Monday and had his hands cuffed in front of him as he faced capital murder charges for the girl’s death, per Daily Mail.
Judge Josh Hill set Pena Ramos’ bond at $10 million—double the prosecutors’ recommendation and ten times the amount sought by the defense.
The judge labeled the defendant an “astronomical” flight risk, stating the chances of him returning to court with a lower bond would be “near zero.”
Rangel Martinez is due for his bond hearing on Tuesday.
Local 21 reported that prosecutors will be urging the judge to set his bail at $10 million as well.
Prosecutors revealed that the two men, who lived in the same apartment complex as Nungaray, followed her to a nearby 7-Eleven after she snuck out of her house on June 16.
“Maybe they were seen in the complex, but she normally wouldn’t walk around,” Nungaray’s mother told Fox last week, emphasizing that it was not normal for her to talk to strangers.
Surveillance video showed Nungaray calling her 13-year-old boyfriend at the convenience store, who later reported hearing her speak with two adults.
Obtained court documents show that the illegal immigrant pair allegedly lured Nungaray under a bridge, stripped her naked to the waist, and sexually assaulted her for two hours.
The duo also allegedly bound Nungaray’s hands behind her back, strangled her, and dumped her body in the bayou.
Her body was discovered by a passerby hours later with her feet bound and her back covered in cuts, Click 2 Houston reported.
Harris County Assistant District Attorney Megan Long stated in court that Pena Ramos confessed to police that he kissed Nungaray that night but blamed other parts of the assault and her death on his roommate.
Prosecutors now claim Rangel Martinez grabbed the 12-year-old around the neck, got on top of her, and covered her mouth in an apparent effort to silence her screams.
Rangel Martinez allegedly shaved his beard to avoid detection.
Two days after the discovery of Nungaray’s body Pena Ramos cut off an ankle monitor he was fitted with when he crossed the border illegally at El Paso on May 28, per police.
The discarded ankle monitor was found last Wednesday, NewsNation reported.
Pena Ramos also allegedly asked his employer at a construction site for extra cash to skip town.
The Houston Chronicle reported that the boss contacted police, leading to the illegal immigrant’s arrest.
The White House put out a short statement that was ill-received by Republicans following the tragic death of the preteen.
“Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of Jocelyn Nungaray,” it read.
“We cannot comment on active law enforcement cases. But fundamentally, anyone found guilty of this type of heinous and shocking crime should be held accountable, to the fullest extent of the law.”
Republicans like Alabama Rep. Tommy Tuberville dubbed the statement “shameful,” adding, “innocent people murdered by illegal immigrants and the @WhiteHouse still REFUSES to accept responsibility.”
The post Chilling Details Emerge in Tragic Death of 12-Year-Old Girl as Illegal Immigrant Suspect Has Bond Set at $10M appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Jordyn M.
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