Two men, whose immigration status is unknown to police, have been charged in the killing of a 12-year-old Houston girl who was found strangled to death in a creek this week, police said.
Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, were linked to the death of Jocelyn Nungaray and face capital murder charges, the Houston Police Department said Thursday.
Investigators used surveillance video to track the movements of Martinez and Ramos before and after the killing, Houston police Lt. Stephen Hope said.
Earlier this week, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said Nungaray was at a convenience store and was talking to her 13-year-old boyfriend on the phone after sneaking out of her family's apartment. The boyfriend told investigators that he could hear Nungaray talking with two people.
Martinez and Ramos started their evening at a restaurant together on Sunday night, police said. They left the restaurant and walked southbound when they were spotted on camera, police said. They were later seen meeting with Nungaray and talking to her for a few minutes. Later, Rangel Martinez and Pena Ramos, along with Jocelyn, walked to a 7-Eleven convenience store.
Authorities this week released images taken from surveillance video from the 7-Eleven where Nungaray was last seen.
Afterward, the three of them walked to a bridge, where investigators said Nungaray was murdered. Rangel Martinez and Pena Ramos then walked to the apartment they shared and left the girl's body behind, police said. Police believe the pair lived in the same apartment complex as Nungaray.
The Harris County medical examiner reported that Jocelyn died as a result of strangulation. Authorities could not confirm if the girl was sexually assaulted.
When questioned about reports that the men are from Venezuela, police declined to answer and said their legal status had not yet been verified as of Thursday.
Following the arrests, Whitmire said the court system has to do its job and ensure both suspects are tried in a timely manner.
'We're gonna be watching you; the arrests have taken place, and the charges have been filed. Now, we want the justice system to do its job. If there was ever a circumstance where you do not give someone bail, this is it,' he said.
