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Jocelyn Nungaray murder: Houston prosecutors seek ICE, CBP records on illegal accused of child killing

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Jocelyn Nungaray murder: Houston prosecutors seek ICE, CBP records on illegal accused of child killing

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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“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.

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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.”

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Rangel is due back in court on Nov. 11.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him

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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.

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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.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach

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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.

A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach on June 3, 2026. (Long Beach Police Department)

“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.

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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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Los Angeles, Ca

Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico

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Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico

A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.

The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024. 

Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.

  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, was arrested and extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on June 2, 2026, in connection with a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles. (California Highway Patrol)

Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan. 

The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.

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In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.

The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.

The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.

Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved. 

Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.

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Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest. 

“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”

On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge. 

“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”

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