The two men charged with the murder of a 12-year-old Houston girl, found strangled in a creek this week, are Venezuelan migrants who entered the United States illegally.

Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, were implicated in the death of Jocelyn Nungaray and now face capital murder charges, according to the Houston Police Department on Thursday.

Pena Ramos entered El Paso, Texas, illegally in May, as confirmed by sources from the Department of Homeland Security to Fox News. He was apprehended by Border Patrol agents and released into the U.S. with a Notice to Appear in court.

BREAKING: Two men charged with capital murder in death of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray found strangled in Houston creek.

Johan Jose Rangel Martinez (21) and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos (26) were seen on surveillance cameras with the little girl before she was found dead in a north… pic.twitter.com/OZEB4Yk0kj

— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) June 20, 2024

Rangel Martinez also crossed into El Paso illegally in March and was detained by Border Patrol. He was subsequently released into the U.S. on an unspecified basis.

Fox News Digital has contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more details about the suspects’ status but has not yet received a response.

“It’s just an overwhelming sense of relief to know they’re just not out there,” said Alexis Nungaray, Jocelyn’s mother, to Fox Houston.

Houston police Lt. Stephen Hope stated that investigators used surveillance footage to trace the movements of Martinez and Ramos before and after the murder.

Earlier this week, Houston Mayor John Whitmire reported that Jocelyn had been at a convenience store and was talking to her 13-year-old boyfriend on the phone after sneaking out of her family’s apartment. The boyfriend informed investigators that he could hear Jocelyn conversing with two individuals.

12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray was lured from her home, then gruesomely raped, strangled, and dumped in a nearby creek.

According to police, Jocelyn's killers were two Venezuelan migrants, Johan Jose Rangel Martinez and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos.

In a country with sane immigration… pic.twitter.com/EphljyOMhw

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 20, 2024

According to the police, Martinez and Ramos began their evening together at a restaurant on Sunday night.

After leaving the restaurant, they were seen walking southbound on camera, and later meeting with Jocelyn and talking to her for a few minutes. Subsequently, Rangel Martinez, Pena Ramos, and Jocelyn walked to a 7-Eleven convenience store.

Authorities released images from the 7-Eleven surveillance video where Jocelyn was last seen.

Afterward, the three walked to a bridge, where investigators believe Jocelyn was murdered. Rangel Martinez and Pena Ramos then returned to their shared apartment, leaving Jocelyn’s body behind. Police suspect the two men lived in the same apartment complex as Jocelyn.

Alexis Nungaray mentioned that her daughter might have seen the pair around the complex but was not known to talk to strangers.

“Maybe they were seen in the complex, but she normally wouldn’t walk around,” she told the news station.

The Harris County medical examiner determined that Jocelyn died from strangulation. Authorities could not confirm if she was sexually assaulted.

Following the arrests, Mayor Whitmire emphasized that the court system must ensure both suspects are tried promptly.

“We’re going to be watching you; the arrests have taken place, and the charges have been filed. Now, we want the justice system to do its job. If there was ever a circumstance where you do not give someone bail, this is it,” he said.