Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Friday that she would seek the death penalty for two Venezuelan nationals accused of the brutal murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray. The two men, Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, were arrested in June and charged with the kidnapping, rape, and murder of Nungaray.
In an exclusive interview with Fox and Friends host Lawrence Jones, Ogg emphasized the severity of the crime, which she described as “horrific” and “preventable.” She made it clear that the death penalty was being sought in this case to send a strong message, particularly regarding the crime’s connection to illegal immigration.
“We’ll be filing notice by the state of Texas that we intend to seek the death penalty against Jocelyn’s murderers, Pena and Rangel,” Ogg said. “Both were Venezuela nationals, they have been captured while committing a crime, coming into this country illegally, and then within days, of murdering and raping Jocelyn Nungaray.” Ogg continued, “So we are seeking death because we want the message out there that regardless of who you are, but especially if you are illegally in this country, that you will face the same consequences as anyone else for murdering a child during the course of raping and kidnapping her.”
Jocelyn Nungaray’s tragic death has been a rallying cry for those advocating for stricter immigration policies. Nungaray was kidnapped and murdered in June 2023, and evidence suggests that Rangel and Pena, both of whom were illegally in the United States, were responsible for the heinous crime. According to investigators, the two men had been in the country for a very short period before committing the crime. Ogg framed the incident as a direct consequence of the current administration’s immigration policies, particularly the Biden administration’s more lenient approach to border enforcement.
“The Democratic policies of open borders have failed the American public,” Ogg said. “If the Justice for Jocelyn Act filed by Senator Ted Cruz or any of the policies that President-elect Trump is pushing had been in effect, then it’s likely that Jocelyn Nungaray would be alive today.”
Cruz’s bill, which aims to close loopholes in the current immigration system and ensure greater accountability for illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes, has garnered support from conservatives but has faced opposition from progressives and open border advocates.
Ogg’s remarks echo sentiments voiced by many conservatives who argue that the Biden administration’s immigration policies have allowed dangerous individuals to cross the border and commit violent crimes. She further emphasized that the crime was preventable, blaming the failure of border enforcement for allowing the suspects to enter the country in the first place.
“These types of horrific crimes committed by illegal immigrants crossing our border have to stop,” Ogg stated. “The family of Jocelyn is in a position they never dreamed would happen to them, and I think it’s unfair to anybody with children to be subject to criminals committing horrific crimes that don’t have to happen.”
Jocelyn Nungaray’s murder is not an isolated incident but is part of a broader, growing concern over violent crimes committed by illegal aliens. Nungaray’s case, along with other high-profile crimes like the murder of Rachel Morin and the killing of nursing student Laken Riley, propelled illegal immigration to the forefront of the 2024 presidential election.
The decision to seek the death penalty in this case comes after a series of emotionally charged and high-profile cases involving illegal immigrants accused of violent crimes. Ogg’s pursuit of the death penalty is intended not only to seek justice for Nungaray but also to send a broader message about the consequences of entering the U.S. illegally and committing violent acts.
Illegal immigrants have rights. Babies do not. In certain“$antuary $tates”, illegals have rights that citizens do not, such as protection from prosecution. Evil reigns. Hopefully, $oros and his ilk will pay!
Not only do they need to execute them but they need to do it publicly, even televised to serve as an example for all of the illegal aliens that continue to commit these heinous crimes in our nation.