One of many Venezuelan migrants accused of raping and killing a 12-year-old woman is the son of an ex-government official within the socialist nation, DailyMail.com has realized.
Johan Jose Martinez Rangel, 22, is considered one of two males who may face the demise penalty for the capital homicide of Jocelyn Nungaray, who was discovered strangled in a creek earlier this month in Houston, Texas.
Following Martinez Rangel’s arrest, Venezuelans from his dwelling state of Guarico started flagging on social media that his mom Nazareth Rangel Palacios is a staunch supporter of Nicolas Maduro and served as a councilwoman for his occasion.
Venezuela’s electoral registry exhibits Martinez Rangel and Rangel Palacios share the identical handle in San Juan de Los Morros.
Rangel Palacios was a vocal militant for the ruling occasion, the United Socialist Social gathering of Venezuela, and was photographed together with her son in pro-government occasions till he left the nation in about 2018.
Johan Jose Martinez Rangel, 22, is considered one of two males who may face the demise penalty for the capital homicide of Jocelyn Nungaray earlier this month in Houston, Texas. His mom is a former councilmember for the ruling United Socialist Social gathering of Venezuela. Seen right here in 2017
Venezuelans from his dwelling state of Guarico flagged that his mom Nazareth Rangel Palacios is a staunch supporter of Nicolas Maduro and served as a councilwoman for his occasion
Rangel is believed to have entered Colombia earlier than crossing into the U.S. by way of Mexico illegally in March.
DailyMail.com additionally confirmed his id by talking to considered one of his childhood pals, who mentioned he didn’t wish to focus on Martinez Rangel’s alleged crimes.
‘He was my pal once we had been youngsters and it’s extremely unhappy that he did what he did,’ Lias Brandont informed DailyMail.com.
Martinez Rangel’s household connections have emerged as Univision aired a video they mentioned exhibits the homicide suspect snorting a substance that seems to be cocaine the day of Nungaray’s killing.
The footage seems to indicate the suspect carrying the identical hat and equipment he had on when he was pictured subsequent to Nungaray earlier than her homicide.
A supply shared a voice word with Univision that Martinez Rangel allegedly despatched to them, bragging about being very intoxicated.
Rangel Martinez and Franklin Pena, 26, are accused of luring Nungaray beneath a bridge earlier than sexually assaulting and killing her.
Former PSUV councilwoman Nazareth Rangel is seen together with her son Johan. She is carrying a shirt displaying the eyes of late Venezuelan socialist chief Hugo Chavez
Rangel Martinez and Franklin Pena, 26, are accused of luring Nungaray beneath a bridge earlier than sexually assaulting and killing her
Her physique was discovered the subsequent morning after she had been strangled, certain and thrown in a bayou. She was bare from the waist down.
The boys allegedly met Nungaray, who had snuck out of her home, as she was strolling to a 7-11 round 10om on June 16.
The boys walked to the shop together with her and later below the bridge. Investigators have but to say which of the boys they imagine raped Nungaray earlier than her demise.
Each males are presently being held in jail with $10 million bonds every.
A 3rd man who briefly lived with the 2 suspects was the one who ratted them out to the cops.
Martinez Rangel’s household connections have emerged as Univision aired a video they mentioned exhibits the suspect snorting a substance that seems to be cocaine the day of Nungaray’s killing
The footage seems to indicate the suspect carrying the identical hat and equipment he had on when he was pictured subsequent to Nungaray earlier than her homicide (above)
The suspects are seen in surveillance video the evening of Nungaray’s homicide
The unnamed roommate claims he had solely lived with the 2 males for a matter of days when he ate dinner with the accused killers on June 16 at a restaurant known as ‘Ojos Locos’ — or ‘loopy eyes’ in Spanish, based on Fox 26.
Two days after the homicide, as Houston police led a full-fledged manhunt for Nungaray’s killers, the tipster was watching TV with Martinez and Peña when their images flashed on the display screen.
The roommate ‘tried to not react’, as he wasn’t even positive it was them.
By means of a member of the family, the roommate contacted investigators who had been capable of arrest them.
State District Decide Josh Hill set the bond throughout a court docket listening to wherein prosecutors mentioned authorities discovered proof on Martinez-Rangel’s cellphone that they allege confirmed he was attempting to depart the nation after police had been searching for him following Jocelyn’s demise.
