Southwest
Jocelyn Nungaray murder: Houston prosecutors seek ICE, CBP records on illegal accused of child killing
Johan Jose Martinez Rangel, one of two illegal immigrants from Venezuela charged with capital murder in the slaying of Houston 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, returned to court Wednesday, a day after her mother testified before a congressional committee about migrant crime.
The defense and Harris County prosecutors wrestled over the scope of a potential gag order in the case and Judge Josh Hill told them to abide by the state’s rules of professional conduct.
Prosecutors also asked the judge to grant them access to all of Rangel’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection records in a pair of court filings Tuesday. The defense had no objections, and the judge granted the request.
BIDEN-HARRIS OPEN BORDER POLICY FREED ILLEGAL 3 WEEKS BEFORE JOCELYN NUNGARAY MURDER, MOTHER SAYS
Johan Jose Martinez Rangel is flanked by his defense lawyer, a translator and a deputy as he appears in court in connection with the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. (Pool)
Rangel and Franklin Pena were arrested in July on capital murder charges. Authorities said both suspects entered the U.S. illegally shortly before the slaying.
Prosecutors laid out the allegations bluntly in a bail request after the arrests.
“In this case, the defendant lured a 12-year-old under a bridge where he and his co-defendant remained with her for over 2 hours, took her pants off, tied her up, and killed her, then threw her body into the bayou,” Assistant District Attorney Michael Abner wrote in June.
The arraignment comes a day after Nungaray’s mother testified before the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, calling on lawmakers to secure the border as she revealed a harrowing timeline of events.
BIDEN-HARRIS BORDER CRISIS: VICTIMS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIME TESTIFY IN HOUSE HEARING
Alexis Nungaray concludes her remarks in a House Judiciary Committee hearing about the impacts of illegal immigrant crime on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. Her 12-year-old daughter Jocelyn was abducted and killed near the family’s home in Houston. Two Venezuelan illegals were later arrested on capital murder charges. (House Judiciary)
Jocelyn left her family’s home to grab a late night soda when police say Rangel and Pena led her out of a convenience store. She never made it home.
“That Monday morning, June 17th, was terrifying,” her mother told the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday. “Waking up to know your child was missing and frantically searching the area where her phone was being pinged just two minutes away from her home, driving up to that exact location to see crime scene tape and officers by a bridge.”
Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, was found strangled to death in a Houston creek. (Fox Houston courtesy of the Nungaray family)
At the scene, officers couldn’t provide answers, she said. But 45 minutes later, she received a phone call from police asking her to come downtown.
“I’m still hanging on to hope that my 12-year-old daughter is still somewhere out there,” she said. “They bring me to the floor labeled Homicide Division.”
Nungaray told the committee Tuesday that the suspects threw her daughter off the bridge thinking the creek below would wash away their DNA.
ILLEGALS CHARGED WITH MURDER. RAPE AND KIDNAPPING IN A WEEK OF SHOCKING CRIMES ACROSS THE US
Patty Morin (right) testifies to the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C., about border policy and the death of her daughter in Harford County. Alexis Nungaray, left, testified about the killing of her daughter in Houston. (Jeff Barker/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, left, and Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel have been charged in the killing of Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston, Texas, on Monday, June 17. (Harris County Jail)
“Because of the Biden-Harris administration open border policies, catch and release, they were enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program,” Nungaray told lawmakers. “This meant that they were released into the United States. It was not even a full three weeks later that they would take my daughter Jocelyn Nungaray’s life.”
Rangel is due back in court on Nov. 11.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Protests mark 1-year anniversary of federal agents storming L.A.’s Fashion District
Events and protests were held in downtown Los Angeles Saturday on the one-year anniversary of one of the largest immigration enforcement actions in California.
One June 6, 2025, federal agents stormed the L.A. Fashion District, arresting and detaining dozens of workers.
The enforcement action served as a catalyst, igniting a wave of subsequent raids across Southern California. In response, city leaders affirmed their “unwavering commitment to the immigrant communities” in Los Angeles, as events were held throughout the city to remember those who were deported and those whose immigration cases remain unresolved.
Protesters advocating for immigrant communities gathered outside a federal detention center in downtown Saturday, waving flags and signs. One woman was arrested during a clash with police.
The initial raid in the L.A. Garment District swept up workers, including the father of one woman who described the experience as “one of the most traumatic experiences” of their lives. This operation was among the first deportation actions that resulted in families being separated and triggered days of civil unrest.
At a commemoration event, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and the Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of L.A. stood together, vowing to protect immigrant communities living in fear.
“We all felt attacked, and I think what’s so critical today, is to know and remember and acknowledge that this is still going on every day,” Bass said.
While the Department of Homeland Security maintains that its enforcement operations target criminals, families of those detained argue that immigration enforcement terrorizes hardworking people. These families contend that many immigrants pay taxes and contribute to society, even if they are not U.S. citizens.
Immigration attorneys report that thousands of individuals are still trying to locate their loved ones. They also highlighted that hundreds of people swept up in immigration raids last year remain detained in facilities, facing medical neglect, inhumane conditions and the denial of basic due process protections.
Watch the full report from KTLA’s Sara Welch in the video at the top of this story.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTLA. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTLA staff before being published.
Los Angeles, Ca
Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him
A motorist was rendered unconscious after what authorities are calling an unprovoked attack that occurred after another driver flashed their high beams at him, authorities say.
According to the Pasadena Police Department, the victim, a 63-year-old man, was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue near Washington Boulevard when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction flashed him around 1 a.m. Saturday.
“The victim reported that he was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue from Washington Boulevard when he observed a vehicle traveling southbound flashing its high beams at him,” a Pasadena Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. “The victim stated he stopped his vehicle and exited. He was then assaulted by an unknown suspect. The assault was unprovoked.”
The attack left the man unconscious and with a three-inch deep laceration to his head, police added. Upon regaining consciousness, the man transported himself to Huntington Hospital, and it was around 1:20 a.m. when police responded there to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and began their investigation.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the victim told police that, due to his injuries, he was not able to provide a description of a suspect, vehicle or the weapon used, nor was he able to tell police the exact location where the assault occurred, although it was confirmed to be somewhere near Raymond Avenue and Washington Boulevard. La Pintoresca Park is located near that intersection.
No further details were immediately available.
Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to contact the Pasadena Police Department right away.
Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.
Los Angeles, Ca
Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach
A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.
On June 3, the female pedestrian was using the crosswalk at Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue around 4:50 a.m.
She had walked against a red light and was hit by a 19-year-old driver in a Chevy sedan, Long Beach police said.
Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.
“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.
The woman’s name is being withheld pending identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
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