Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, a suspect in the murder of 12-year-old Joselyn Nungare in Houston last week, appeared in Harris County Criminal Court on Monday. During court proceedings, it was revealed that he was wearing an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ankle monitor at the time of the alleged killing.
He was issued an ankle bracelet after being arrested by Border Patrol agents for illegal entry into the country and was later released from custody. Fox News On Friday, ICE indicated he entered the U.S. illegally “at an unspecified date and location, without inspection, parole, or entry by a U.S. immigration officer.”
ICE is also monitoring Ramos, the agency said.
Judge Josh Hill, who oversaw Monday’s proceedings, also noted that Ramos and the other suspect in the case, 21-year-old Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, were accused of attempting to collect money to leave town.
During the hearing, the judge set Ramos’ bail at $10 million, more than the $5 million sought by prosecutors.
NEW: One of the Venezuelan illegal immigrants who allegedly raped 12-year-old Joseline Nungaray appeared in court, where his bond was set at $10 million.
The judge said Franklin Jose Pena Ramos was an “astronomical” risk of fleeing.
New court documents reveal horrifying new details,… pic.twitter.com/Aw3sHBCKXL
— Colin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 25, 2024
Pena’s defense had proposed a bail of $1 million, but the judge argued there was an “astronomical” risk of him fleeing and suggested the chances of him returning to court were “almost negligible.”
Had Ramos been granted bail, the judge had ordered him to wear a GPS monitor, remain under 24/7 house arrest, remain in Harris County, not contact the other suspects or the victim’s family, not have contact with minors, refrain from possessing firearms, drugs or alcohol and surrender his passport.
Ramos and Martinez allegedly lured the young girl under a bridge in Houston, where they held her hostage and fatally harmed her.
“In this case, the defendant lured a 12-year-old girl to a bridge where he and his co-defendant stayed with her for over two hours, removed her pants, tied her up, and murdered her, then dumped her body in the bay,” Harris County Assistant District Attorney Michael Ebner wrote.
Investigators used surveillance footage to track the two men’s movements before and after the killing, police said.
Both suspects are charged with murder, and Martinez is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.
