A 12-year-old Texas woman who was murdered by unlawful immigrants final week fought again till her final breath, leaving scratch and chunk marks on one of many defendants, prosecutors mentioned.
The data was shared by prosecutors throughout a courtroom listening to Tuesday attended by the woman’s mom, in response to a New York Submit report.
The homicide of the Texas woman, discovered final week in a ditch, has revived a political debate on the difficulty of immigrants in an election 12 months in the US. Republicans have taken benefit of the incident to assault President Joe Biden for his immigration insurance policies.
Through the listening to, Assistant District Legal professional Megan Lengthy mentioned Johan José MartÃnez-Rangel, one of many defendants, nonetheless had chunk marks when he was arrested.
The opposite defendant, Franklin José Peña Ramos, mentioned he tried to cease MartÃnez Rangel, however he allegedly refused and strangled the woman.
Peña Ramos, whereas admitting he kissed the woman, instructed prosecutors that MartÃnez-Rangel was much more bodily aggressive, Fox Information reported.
Martinez-Rangel allegedly instructed his assistant he needed to “end what he began” as he coated the woman’s mouth throughout the assault, the lead prosecutor mentioned.
‘Woman together with her ft tied and her again coated in cuts’
Prosecutors mentioned the defendants, who have been drunk, lured the woman underneath the bridge on June 17 and over the course of two hours “took off her pants, tied her up and killed her,” The New York Instances reported. The woman’s ft have been tied and her again was coated in cuts.
The incident occurred when the woman sneaked out of her home to name her boyfriend. Each defendants have been charged with capital homicide.
The Harris County District Courtroom choose set a $10 million bail situation for Martinez-Rangel and known as him a flight threat.
The choose mentioned he stored bail so excessive as a result of he didn’t need the defendant to be deported and escape justice in the US.
Harris County District Legal professional Kim Ogg mentioned there was clear proof of sexual assault. “We’re ready for lab exams now to see if the capital homicide cost might be elevated to at least one the place they’re eligible for the dying penalty,” Ogg mentioned.
If the forensic division confirms sexual assault, prosecutors may search the dying penalty. The dying penalty might be sought underneath Texas regulation if the woman was killed in the midst of one other severe crime.
Through the courtroom listening to, one of many woman’s kinfolk shouted “assassin” when MartÃnez Rangel was introduced earlier than the choose. “I hope they kill your kids,” he was heard saying.
Then again, the woman’s mom, who known as the defendants “monsters,” stared at MartÃnez-Rangel as she left the courtroom.
