2 Venezuelans Caught and Released Near US Border Accused of Assaulting, Killing 12-Year-Old Girl

HOUSTON (AP) – A judge in Texas set bond of $10 million Monday for an undocumented Venezuelan man accused of killing a 12-year-old Houston girl whose body was found in a creek after she disappeared during a walk to a convenience store.

Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26, is one of two men charged with capital murder in Jocelyn Nungaray’s death. The other is Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22.
 
Peña’s bond was set during a court hearing in which prosecutors told state District Judge Josh Hill that he and Martinez-Rangel tried to flee the Houston area after the killing.

The two men are Venezuelan nationals who entered the United States illegally in March, according to a statement Friday from the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. U.S. Border Patrol near El Paso, Texas, arrested Martinez-Rangel on March 14 and Peña on March 28. Both were released with orders to appear in court at a later date. 

Immigration is a top concern for voters, with many saying President Joe Biden hasn’t been doing enough to secure the country’s borders. Earlier this month, Biden unveiled plans to enact immediate significant restrictions on migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Both Peña and Martinez-Rangel

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