Exclusive: Alexis Nungarei, mother of 12-year-old Joselyn Nungarei, told Fox News Digital that the murder authorities are in the hands of two illegal immigrants suspected of being Tren DeLagua's gang members, renaming the local wildlife shelter in daughter's honor and meaning “world” to their families.
Jocelyn Nungarei was sexually assaulted and strangled by two Venezuelan illegals, Franklin Jose Pena Ramos and Johann Jose Langel Martinez. Her body was found tied up in a Houston bayou.
Since the murder of her daughter, Alexis Nungarei has become a voice defender of increased border security and a supporter of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Nungaray said that the tragic way of Jocelyn's death would “take away who she is as a human being.” But she said the renamed the 39,000-acre wildlife shelter on the Texas Gulf Coast preserves what Jocelyn's memories have loved in life.
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Jocelyn Nungaray; View of Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge in Texas (Nungaray Family | Norman Wales via the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge website)
On March 5, Trump issued an executive order renaming the former Anahuac National Wildlife Reserve in southeastern Houston as Joselyn Nungarray National Wildlife Reserve.
Senators John Cornyn of R-Texas and Rep. Brian Babin of R-Texas have since introduced legislation to ensrine Trump's executive order, making it more difficult for future presidents to rename shelters. The Senate has already passed the bill, and Babin is working to pass it in the House.
Babin told Fox News Digital that he hopes that his bill codified the renaming of Trump's shelter after Jocelyn has received bipartisan support and that it will soon be passed at home and signed by the president.
“This is a beautiful place, and I think if we name her, we'll protect her legacy,” he said.
“The main thing we need to remember is that this will never happen again,” he added. “We get this in law and codified, and future presidents can't reverse this. So we remember what happens when there's a bad policy that can create a system that allows this to happen to innocent people like Jocelyn.”
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Rep. Brian Babin told Fox News Digital a bill to codify Trump's shelter renaming after Jocelyn received bipartisan support, and he hoped it would soon be passed at home and signed by the president. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call by Getty Images)
Nungaray said that efforts to rename the shelter “will touch every part of my heart and my family.”
“Everyone who knew Jocelyn knew she loved animals so much, she loved nature, wildlife,” explained Nungarei. “She really loved every animal and every creature. She wanted every animal to have a place to call home.”
“We know this national wildlife shelter is a bunch of wildlife travelling around the country, where they can call homes and where they can find a safe place for them.
She said it was “Bittersweet” to see the signs rising around Houston, which was named after her daughter.
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“I went out there to see what it was, what it was, and how much peace I felt there. “I immediately thought Jocelyn loved this. She would want to be here.” (Norman Welsh via the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge website)
“I went out there to see what it was, what it was, and how much peace I felt there was. It was so pure and peaceful,” Nungarei said. “I immediately thought Jocelyn loved this. She would want to be here.”
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“She wasn't the 12-year-old girl who was strangled and left in the Water Bayou,” Nungarei continued. “She was a very creative, talented, free and spiritual 12 year old girl.”
With a smile, Nungaray added that Jocelyn is “very quirky” and “old soul.” She loved dressing in 1990s style cargo jeans and loved listening to music back to the 1940s and 1950s.
“She was very different and unique. She was a great friend,” Nungarei said.
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“I told Fox News Digital that I would always defend her, raise my voice and stand up for better border control and immigration laws. One million percent of Jocelyn's death could have been preventable.” (Getty Images)
Nungaray said he is extremely grateful to Trump for both his support and for “keeping his promise” on immigration enforcement.
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“I'm a supporter of immigration, but I say there are the right and wrong ways to do that,” she explained. “He protects people, he considers people, we are citizens, making sure we are safe, our children are safe, our women are safe and we are all safe in our community.”
“We still have a long way to go,” she continued. “But I'm always defending her, becoming her voice, standing up for better border control and immigration laws because I know that 1 million percent of Jocelyn's death should have been preventable.”
