Sinister twist in migrant 'murder' of Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, sparked by rape claim from U.S. woman on vacation
One of the two migrants charged in the cold-blooded rape and murder of a 12-year-old Texas girl has now been linked to the rape of an American woman on vacation in Costa Rica.
The murder of Joycelyn Nungaray, 12, became an immigration flashpoint last summer after the suspects in her brutal slaying were revealed to be Venezuelan migrants who entered the country illegally just months before.
Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, and Johan Jose Martinez Rangel, 22, are accused of luring Jocelyn Nungaray, who had snuck out of her house late at night, underneath a bridge.
After spending two hours with her there, the Venezuelan men emerged alone, and the raped and strangled body of the girl had been dumped in a near-by bayou.
Now, a US citizen woman who was vacationing in Costa Rica told authorities she was raped by Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, reported Fox 26.
The attack in Central America happened before Nungaray was killed June 17, presumably as Pena was en route to America from his native South America.
The unidentified woman went to Costa Rican authorities after she was attacked, but was ignored, revealed Kim Ogg, who was district attorney in Houston until January.
'When she reported it to the authorities in Costa Rica, they did nothing,' Ogg explained.
'Imagine the frustration of that individual. I don't want that to be swept under the carpet.'
Ogg added that learning about the Costa Rica victim last year was key to the Harris County DA's office's decision to seek the death penalty for both men in Nungaray's case.
The woman, who does not live in Texas, reached out to Ogg's office after seeing Pena's photo plastered all over the news after Nungaray's death.
'Authorities had no idea of their past behavior- if they had criminal charges in Venezuela or another country- that makes it hard to determine if someone is going to be a future danger,' the former prosecutor told the Houston TV station.
The migrants have been accused of having links to Venezuelan super gang Tren de Aragua.
Ogg says she's making making the Costa Rica alleged rape public now since she fears the new DA, who has recently dismissed several cases, will be plea down the charges in the Nungaray case.
DailyMail.com reached out to the new DA, Sean Teare, who did not comment on Ogg's allegations but shared that Pena is due back in court for a non-trial setting Monday at 9:30 a.m.
However, the Pena and Martinez will be tried separately for their capital murder charges in the pre-teen case, no sooner than 2026 her mother told DailyMail.com in March.
The grieving mother learned of the woman's sexual assault just recently.
'I always felt in my heart that this was never their first time, especially Pena,' mom Alexis Nungaray told the local outlet.
'To just know that this happened to another woman, it hurts my heart. A piece of me shatters a little bit.'
Former Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg revealed that one of two men accused in the sexual assault and death of Jocelyn Nungaray has been accused in a second rape
Booking photos of Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Pena, 26, now charged with capital murder in the death of 12-yr-old Jocelyn Nungaray on June 17
It's unclear what role Pena played in Nungaray's murder and rape, as both illegal immigrants have turned on each, trying to minimize their own culpability.
After sneaking out in the middle of the night of the Texas apartment she shared with her mom and younger brother in June, the two men approached Nungaray on the street near her home.
She willingly went with them to a convenience store and later under a bridge where she was raped and strangled over a two-hour period.
Franklin Pena claims he never even touched Jocelyn, saying it was Martinez-Rangel who wrapped his forearm around Jocelyn's neck while standing behind her and walked her under the bridge, according to TV station Fox 26.
Martinez-Rangel laid Jocelyn onto her back, according to Pena, and took her pants off.
He then described how Martinez-Rangel climbed on top of her while holding her arms down.
Pena tried to intervene, telling Martinez-Rangel to stop and that they should leave, but Martinez-Rangel responded, 'I have to finish what I started.'
Martinez-Rangel then strangled her using his forearm, killing her and binding her hands and feet together.
The images show a relaxed Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, walking into the 7-Eleven in North Houston with a man and willing leaving with him
Video shows Johan Jose Martínez Rangel, one of the two men accused of killing Jocelyn Nungaray, on the night he and Franklin Peña Ramos were seen with the young girl
It was Martinez-Rangel's idea-- Pena claimed-- to move her body into the water to destroy any DNA.
Pena also accused Martinez-Rangel of shaving his beard after the murder so that he would not be recognized.
In his own police interview, Martinez-Rangel initially denied he had killed Jocelyn, however, in later talks with investigators, he did fuss up.
He admitted to making the decision to tie her up and put her in the water.
However, it was Pena, who asked his boss at the construction company where he worked for money to leave Houston after the murder but before the Venezuelan duo was arrested, prosecutors alleged in court.
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