Texas authorities are investigating a hyperlink between two unlawful immigrants charged with raping and murdering a 12-year-old lady and the infamous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Two suspects – Johan Jose Martinez Rangel, 22, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26 – have been charged in June with the brutal killing of Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, in Houston.
Police have revealed the pair, who have been within the U.S. illegally from Venezuela, allegedly lured Jocelyn beneath a bridge, the place they held her for greater than two hours, presumably gang-raping her after they tied her up.
And in new search warrants, investigators revealed Rangel and Ramos displayed indicators and monikers on their social media which are linked to the Tren de Aragua gang.
Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, was discovered raped and murdered close to her house in Houston, Texas, in June
Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, was one in every of two unlawful immigrants charged with Nungaray’s dying, as investigators are probing a possible hyperlink to the Tren de Aragua gang
Authorities additionally charged Johan Jose Martinez Rangel, 22, over the homicide, and declare the 2 suspects held Nungaray for hours beneath a bridge earlier than strangling her
The Tren de Aragua gang has been thrust into the highlight because the migrant disaster has fueled fears that gang members have snuck throughout the southern border and have arrange bases in US cities.
In latest months, this has seen footage emerge of armed gangsters taking up an residence advanced in Aurora, Colorado, sparking outrage locally.
Following the arrest of Rangel and Ramos, investigators wrote in the latest warrants that Tren de Aragua ‘will use sure slang and emojis of their communications with each other to determine themselves.’
The warrants led a decide to grant a request from the Houston Police Division to acquire social media data that might confirm the suspect’s gang affiliations, which might bolster the case towards them, stories Newsweek.
The indicators associated to the gang reportedly embody particular hand indicators, sporting Chicago Bulls or Michael Jordan merchandise, and small shoulder tattoos similar to clocks, trains, roses and two stars.
On social media, members use emojis together with a ninja, crossed swords and a classical constructing to sign to others that they’re a part of the gang.
On TikTok, Ramos reportedly shared photographs of his tattoos to followers, together with a rose on his hand and two stars on every shoulder.
The arrests of Rangel (pictured) and Ramos again in June sparked outrage as ICE revealed that that they had entered the US illegally
Cops say the suspects could have shared attainable Tren de Aragua indicators on social media, which embody particular hand indicators, sporting Chicago Bulls or Michael Jordan merchandise, and small shoulder tattoos similar to clocks, trains, roses and two stars
Nungaray’s physique was discovered close to her Houston house after she snuck out late at night time
The arrests of Rangel and Ramos again in June sparked outrage as ICE revealed that that they had entered the US illegally, at a time when thousands and thousands of undocumented migrants have been flooding over the southern border.
Each Rangel and Ramos had each been arrested inside the previous couple of months by U.S. Border Patrol however have been launched. It’s not clear when the pair entered the nation.
Based on ICE, Border Patrol stopped Rangel close to El Paso on March 14 solely to be let go along with a discover to look. Investigators mentioned he was fitted with an ankle monitor, after which shared a picture to social media exhibiting Air Jordan sneakers.
Investigators added within the submitting that he was believed to have taken the image on the Sacred Coronary heart Church in El Paso, Texas, a makeshift migrant shelter the place he stayed after he was launched.
Months later, Ramos was additionally arrested on Might 28, close to El Paso. A decide ordered him to look in courtroom later. Each males are actually within the Harris County Jail.
Jocelyn’s tragic homicide unfolded on June 16, hours after she snuck out of her house round 10pm, and her physique was discovered floating in a close-by bayou.
After allegedly preserving Jocelyn hostage beneath a bridge for 2 hours and raping her, the 2 suspects allegedly strangled the 12-year-old.
This remaining picture of Jocelyn exhibits her coming into a comfort retailer near her house. It’s there the place she bumped into the 2 males allegedly liable for ending her life
It’s believed Jocelyn first encountered the 2 males when she went to a comfort retailer
Police had issued photographs of two individuals of curiosity seen with the Jocelyn hours earlier than her dying after she had crept out of her house late on Sunday night time.
Officers mentioned the suspects lived on the identical block because the lady and ran into the pre-teen, strolling along with her to a comfort retailer.
Surveillance footage sees her calling her 13-year-old boyfriend from the comfort retailer at round midnight that night time and later strolling into the shop itself.
Chatting with ABC13, passerby Billie Jackson defined how he discovered the lady’s physique.
‘I drove previous, and after I seemed up the creek, I believed it was a model. I did a U-turn, and I ended on the bridge, put my flashers on, seemed down, and realized it was somebody. I parked proper right here and referred to as 911 instantly.’
Jocelyn’s grieving mom, Alexis Nungary, mentioned after her daughter’s physique was discovered that she was struggling to course of the tragedy.
‘It is prefer it’s not actual,’ she instructed Click2Houston. ‘I hold listening to every part, and I hear it and it isn’t registering.’
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