Men charged with murder in Jocelyn Nungaray case

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – The Harris County District Attorney's Office said a grand jury has filed felony charges against two men in connection with the death of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray.

The defendants under investigation are 26-year-old Franklin Peña and 22-year-old Johan Martinez-Rangel.

Jocelyn was found dead on June 17. Her mother said she sneaked out of the apartment the night before after her brother went to bed.

Jocelyn's body was found in a creek in north Houston, sparking an investigation to determine what happened to her.

According to Houston police, Jocelyn was walking on Kuhkendahl Road when two men, later identified as Peña and Martinez-Rangel, asked her for directions.

The three then went to a 7-Eleven store before the men allegedly lured Jocelyn to a bridge on West Rankin Road. Police said they stayed there for a few hours, tied her up, took off her pants, strangled her and threw her in the creek.

Three days after the discovery, on June 20, Peña and Martinez-Rangel were taken into custody at the Canfield Lakes Apartments on Northborough Drive.