On the 16th June, 2024 Jocelyn Nungaray aged 12 years was kidnapped at around 9 am while going to buy some items from a nearby grocery store in north Houston. She was raped and throttled by both Johan Jose Martinez Rangel and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, the former of whose corpse was found floating in a bayou the next day.
The suspects, who are accused of being involved in the murder of a nine-year-old girl, are undocumented Venezuelans. Despite the death penalty, which has been sought due to the brutality of the crime; receiving much media attention and debate over immigration policy and child protection in Texas, the defendants stand accused of capital murder.
The Accused
Johan Jose Martinez Rangel aged 22 years, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos aged 26 years have been charged with the murder of Jocelyn Nungaray. Both are seventeen years old and are Venezuelan nationals, and they entered the U. S. Illegally.
They were both apprehended by the U. S. Border Patrol Martinez Rangel in March and Peña Ramos in May but the two were released on notices to appear in court. It also raises their immigration status and has become a decisive argument in discussions on the case and public safety.
Charges Filed
Johan Jose Martinez Rangel, 22, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26 are both accused of capital murder in the killing of Jocelyn Nungaray who was 12 years old. According to the prosecution’s evidence, they kidnapped her, sexually assaulted her, and then proceeded to strangle her before throwing her body in a creek.
The charges stem from a viewership of the crime, which is kidnapping, as well as sexual assault. If these allegations are true, the prosecution may pursue a death sentence should DNA testing backup these allegations as a way of painting the picture of how destructive they were to the community.
District Attorney Kim Ogg’s Announcement

The Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said that she would seek the death penalty against the killers of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, including Johan Jose Martinez Rangel and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos. From the video, she described the case as barbaric to ensure the public that she fully supports the fight for safety.
Criticism came from her immediate successor, Sean Teare, a commissioner since 2002, who argued that such a decision requires rigorous reconsideration when made only weeks before the commissioner departed from office. Teare pointed to the fact that more time should be provided once he assumes office to consider the case bearing in mind that Ogg was a pro-capital punishment way of operating during her term in office.
Legal Implications of Seeking the Death Penalty
Currently, in Texas, the penalty for capital murder is the only legal means whereby a soul can be taken since it is categorized under criminal justice punishments such as the murder of a child below the age of fifteen years. A conviction may lead to either death or life imprisonment without parole for a defendant who has been a two-strike defendant thus requiring unanimity on the side of the jury that recommends the death penalty.
After sentencing, the case goes automatically to the Court of Criminal Appeals; however, further appeals may go to the U.S. Supreme Court. Lastly, if all other opportunities are used up, the dispensation of clemency powers is the preserve of the Governor.
Family’s Reaction to the Death Penalty Decision
Jocelyn Nungaray’s mother, Alexis Nungaray, supports the death penalty because criminals have to pay for the lives they take. Feelings have not only been. String but deep emotionally for her and her family especially when they had to spend their first holiday without Jocelyn. Alexis described severe sorrow resulting from missed experiences and having no justice for the ending of a beloved’s life.
Community Response
People’s reactions have been instinctively intense, radical, and vengeful on Jocelyn Nungaray’s case calling for justice on her behalf with communities honouring her through protest. Some residents and leaders believe in the death penalty while others like Jocelyn’s grandfather want the suspects jailed for life without the possibility of parole.
The case has attracted so much attention across the nation, including in the mouths of people such as the former president Trump, in the subjects of crime and immigration. The family is committed to advocating for Jocelyn’s memory, and to the push for such legislation, such as the “Justice for Jocelyn Act”.
Political Dimensions of the Case
Many have labeled Jocelyn Nungaray’s death as one of the most significant in the heated and much debated immigration reform primarily over the two suspects’ legal status in the country. This case of killing has been condemned by the former president of the United States of America, Donald Trump criticizing the immigration policies of the current president, Biden saying that the policies enhance crime.
Both Governor Greg Abbott and Senator Ted Cruz have called for higher and more effective immigration standards and legislation to increase safety like “Jocelyn’s Law”. Immigration enforcement has risen again because of this event, while research shows that immigrants have lower rates of violent crime than those naturally born in the United States.
Criticism of the DA’s Office
Legal representatives of Johan Jose Martinez Rangel and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos have criticized the politicization of the killing of Jocelyn Nungaray in which the District Attorney of Doniphan denounced the case and demanded a unanimous death sentence. They wanted to stop public speaking on the cases because leaked evidence, and a fairness trial was an issue of concern to them.
But, the judge at first rejected their application but later approved it. Evidently, the defense claims that this politicization undermines the principles of the judicial process, especially in cases when the enforcement of the death penalty does not allow a fair trial free of outside interference.
Evidence Against the Suspects
Key evidence supporting the capital punishment pursuit for Johan Jose Martinez Rangel and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos in Jocelyn Nungaray’s murder includes forensic confirmation of sexual assault and surveillance footage. Forensic tests indicated Jocelyn was sexually assaulted before being strangled, and investigators determined the suspects lured her to a bridge after meeting her near a convenience store.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg emphasized the brutality of the crime and the evidence’s strength as key factors in seeking the death penalty to ensure accountability for such heinous acts.
The tragic case of Jocelyn Nungaray has ignited important discussions on immigration policy and public safety,
emphasizing the profound effects of violent crime on families and communities.
As legal proceedings advance, the quest for justice for Jocelyn highlights the necessity for accountability and serves as a reminder to safeguard vulnerable individuals, ensuring her legacy prompts efforts to avert future tragedies.