HOUSTON — Houston police are urgently seeking public assistance in identifying two individuals “wanted for questioning” in the tragic death of a 12-year old Jocelyn Nungaray. The young girl’s body was discovered in a shallow creek in north Houston early Monday morning. The Medical Examiner’s office has determined that her cause of death was strangulation.
The victim was found around 6:15 a.m. near West Rankin Road, just west of the North Freeway, close to her home. Houston Police Department (HPD) investigators revealed that she had sneaked out of her family’s apartment on Sunday night. Surveillance photos of the two males, described as wearing baseball caps, were released on Tuesday evening. These individuals are considered persons of interest in the case.
During a city council meeting on Tuesday, Mayor John Whitmire provided additional details about the case. He explained that the girl had been on the phone with her 13-year-old boyfriend, who last spoke to her around midnight at a convenience store. During this call, the boyfriend reportedly heard her talking to two adults. The mayor confirmed that the girl had been raped and expressed deep sympathy for her family.
Acting Police Chief Larry Satterwhite, speaking at a news conference on Monday, described the family’s devastation. “Her little girl is gone,” he stated, urging anyone with information to come forward.
The girl’s mother last saw her around 10 p.m. on Sunday when she put her children to bed. Investigators believe the girl left home sometime between 10 p.m. and midnight. They are currently examining any communications the victim may have had before she left home.
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences continues to work on officially verifying the victim’s identity. The victim’s grandmother, holding on to hope and praying that the girl found is not her granddaughter, described the last 24 hours as a horrific nightmare.
The family recently moved to the area near Rankin Road and Kuykendahl Road. The grandmother shared that the girl was quiet, independent, smart, and sweet, with dreams of becoming an actress and a deep love for music and her younger brother.
Houston police are urging anyone with information about the identities of the two persons of interest or any details about the case to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or to speak anonymously with Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in this case.
This case has left the community in shock, and the family is asking for help to bring the perpetrators to justice.
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