Jocelyn Nungaray, the 12-year-old girl killed in Texas, was sexually assaulted before being strangled, according to recent forensic tests.
The child’s family also confirmed to Fox 26 that she was sexually assaulted.
Two Venezuelan nationals — 21-year-old Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and 26-year-old Franklin Jose Peña Ramos — are charged with capital murder in Jocelyn’s death. The two men crossed illegally into the U.S. earlier this year.
Both suspects are accused of luring Jocelyn under a bridge and sexually assaulting her before she was strangled to death and left in a creek.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office received the lab results in connection with the investigation into Jocelyn’s death.
While the test results show she appeared to have been sexually assaulted, as semen was found on her, the DNA match has not come back yet, a source close to the investigation told Fox News.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement to Fox News it will have “no comment on the evidence in this case until the appropriate time.” The Houston Forensic Science Center declined to provide details.
The family now awaits the court’s acknowledgment of the new evidence, and seeks a revoked bond as they look for justice in Jocelyn’s death.
Jocelyn’s grandfather, Kelvin Alvarenga, told Fox 26 that it is going to be nearly impossible for the family to “get rid of this feeling of loss.”
If the suspects are found guilty of sexually assaulting Jocelyn, they would be eligible for the death penalty. But Jocelyn’s family opposes the death penalty and would rather the suspects sit with what they did for the rest of their lives.
“I want them to remember Jocy the rest of their life,” Melfri Vargas, Alvarenga’s wife, told Fox 26. “I want, every time they go to sleep, they remember what they did and show the others you don’t mess with our child, you don’t mess with the United States, you don’t mess with Texas.”
With the suspects in this case being two illegal immigrants, Jocelyn’s death has sparked political discourse over U.S. immigration policy.
“I want them not to just use my granddaughter as a political base, but to know her name is Jocelyn Nungaray,” Alvarenga told Fox 26. “We just want to make a difference for Jocy. We don’t want Jocy’s memory or name to be easily forgotten.”
Alvarenga would like the individuals responsible for Jocelyn’s death to face life without parole, stressing the importance for them to be reminded everyday of what they did to the girl.
“I rather for them to remember this in general population,” he said. “Life without parole, that way they can remember every night when they go to bed, the horrific deal that they did to our family.”
With Jocelyn’s death in national headlines, her family says they are grateful for the support they have received from city and state leaders, and former President Trump.
“God bless him, because at the telling of the day, I wouldn’t want my daughter’s accident to go as another statistic for the city of Houston or the state of Texas. With former President Trump reaching out, my blessings to him and God bless him,” Alvarenga said.
Jocelyn’s mother, Alexis Nungaray, has been struggling in the aftermath of her daughter’s death, Alexis’ father told Fox 26. Jocelyn’s five-year-old brother also asks for his sister every day and wishes to be with her.
“She’s a single mom and one of the hardest things for her and us to explain to a five-year-old that his Cici will not be at home anymore,” Vargas said. “He asks when is he going to see Cici. We try to explain the best way we can to a little one. It’s not an easy thing to do. He always asks for her, he wants to go see her.”
The two suspects are due back in court in September.
Fox News’ Nate Foy contributed to this report.
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