In a tragic unfolding of events in Houston, Texas, the Houston Police Department has identified two persons of interest in the case of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was found deceased under mysterious and alarming circumstances. Jocelyn was discovered in a shallow creek beneath a bridge on West Rankin Road near I-45. According to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, she was strangled to death.
The authorities have made public CCTV footage capturing the last known moments of Jocelyn. The video shows her entering a 7-Eleven with two men who are now considered by police as key persons of interest in the investigation. These men were noted wearing baseball-style caps.
“The Houston Police Department is urgently seeking to speak with these two male individuals in connection with the young girl’s tragic demise,” stated an update shared on the social media platform X.
In a recent press briefing, Houston Mayor John Whitmire shed light on some of the last interactions Jocelyn had before her untimely death. It appears she made a phone call to her 13-year-old boyfriend shortly after midnight, during which she reportedly spoke with two adults. Her mother, Alexis Nungaray, recalled the last time she saw her daughter was around 10 pm on the night of her disappearance, implying Jocelyn must have sneaked out between then and midnight.
Distraught and seeking justice, Alexis Nungaray expressed her despair to local reporters: “She was so young. She was 12. You took my baby away. I always told her, ‘Never leave the house, never leave unattended, always be safe. There’s people around here that are crazy.’ I just hope they are found because Jocelyn was a fighter. She didn’t deserve this and she needs to be rested at peace.”
In an effort to support the family during this trying time, a GoFundMe has been set up to cover the funeral expenses.
The Houston Police Department is calling on anyone with information about the two men seen in the CCTV footage to contact HPD Homicide at 713-308-3600 or to reach out to Crime Stoppers anonymously at 713-222-TIPS. There is a reward of $5,000 available for information leading to further developments in the case.
As the community reels from this loss, the quest for answers and justice continues, highlighting the urgent need to safeguard our children and communities from such heinous acts. Further updates from the Houston Police Department are awaited.