Funeral service set for 12-year-old Houston girl whose body was found in a creek
A 12-year-old Houston girl who was killed after she disappeared during a walk to a convenience store earlier this month is set to be remembered at a funeral service and a celebration of her life
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A 12-year-old Houston girl who was killed after she disappeared during a walk to a convenience store earlier this month was set to be remembered at a funeral service and a celebration of her life on Thursday.
Family members of Jocelyn Nungaray are recalling her as someone who was caring, compassionate, loved animals and sought to make people laugh.
“We miss her goofiness. She was a child that loved animals. She always said, ‘Grandpa, all animals need a house.’ She was always trying to pick up strays," said Kelvin Alvarenga, Nungaray's grandfather.
The girl’s body was found June 17 in a shallow creek after police said she sneaked out of her nearby home the night before. She was strangled to death, according to the medical examiner.
Two Venezuelan men who had entered the U.S. illegally have been charged with capital murder in Nungaray’s death. Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26, are each being held on $10 million bonds in the Harris County Jail in Houston. The two men were arrested earlier this year near El Paso, Texas, by U.S. Border Patrol after entering the country without documentation. Both were released and given notices to appear in court at a later date.
The suspects allegedly lured the girl under a bridge and remained with her there for more than two hours, according to court documents. They allegedly took off her pants, tied her up and killed her before throwing her body in the bayou, according to prosecutors.
Family members and friends were set to gather for Nungaray's funeral service Thursday afternoon in north Houston.
The funeral was set to be followed by a celebration of her life to be held at a furniture store owned by Houston businessman Jim McIngvale, who is paying for Nungaray’s funeral.
“We invite you to come out and we all as a community lift up Jocelyn and her family,” McIngvale said in a post on X.