Police arrest two Venezuelan immigrants for the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray
According to sources cited by The New York Post, one of the two suspects was captured and released by border authorities less than a month before the crime.
Law enforcement detained two Venezuelan immigrants for the death of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl.
One of the suspects crossed the border less than a month before the crime and was released into the country after saying he feared for his life, according to sources consulted by The New York Post.
Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, crossed through El Paso, Texas, on May 28. He was released by border authorities after stating that he would stay with his cousin in Houston until he had to appear in court.
Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, entered the country through the same route on March 14. He had a court date for August.
Larry Satterwhite, acting chief of the Houston Police Department, explained that they found some videos that made it possible to trace Nungaray's route to the place where she was murdered. The suspects could also be seen.
The victim's body was found on Monday. The minor was allegedly lured out of her house, strangled and thrown into a swamp. Police are investigating whether she was also sexually assaulted.
Alexis Nungaray, Jocelyn's mother, had demanded justice before learning of the capture. "I was really looking forward to seeing how she was going to be. They took every opportunity away from me, from our family," she said in a video shared on social media: