According to authorities, two suspects in Texas have been charged with capital murder in connection with the death of a 12-year-old girl who was raped, strangled, and then discovered in a creek.
Two charged with capital murder:
On Thursday, the Houston Police Department identified the kid as Jocelyn Nungaray. Nungaray’s body was recovered in a small brook about 6:15 a.m. on Monday, according to officials.
“It was a horrible scene,” Acting Chief of Police Larry Satterwhite stated at a press conference Thursday afternoon. Authorities said two individuals, Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Penaramos, 26, were held Thursday morning for questioning before being arrested on capital murder allegations.
Police had sought assistance from the public in locating the couple and thanked everyone for their cooperation and support. Satterwhite stated that security footage supplied by the community assisted police in determining the whereabouts of Nungaray and her assailants in the moments preceding her death.
According to Lt. Stephen Hope, police discovered that the suspects had supper together the night of the murder, which occurred on Sunday. After their lunch, they left the restaurant and started walking around. According to Hope, security video footage shows the suspects approaching Nungaray. He claimed they all walked to a convenience store and then to a bridge before she was killed. According to authorities, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences determined that the girl died as a result of strangling.
Whitmire added that the child’s family is devastated. He stated that her mother had yet to view her child’s remains “due to the investigation.” “If you just put yourself in their shoes, they don’t know where to turn. “They have minimal resources, but they are strong and brave,” the mayor stated. According to Satterwhite, the agency contacted Homeland Security Investigations to determine whether the suspects were legally present in the United States. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call the Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 713-222-TIPS.