Former District Attorney Kim Ogg disclosed potentially sensitive evidence in the Jocelyn Nungaray murder case, prompting the defense and prosecution to jointly request that Judge Josh Hill modify the gag order in place since last year. Lisa Andrews, defense attorney for suspect Franklin Peña, also asked the judge to hold Ogg in contempt for possible misuse of official information, according to Click2Houston.
During a television interview, Ogg revealed a previously undisclosed allegation that Peña attacked an American tourist in Costa Rica before the alleged rape and murder of Nungaray. Ogg has been out of office since the end of 2024. The defendants are reportedly in the country without proper authorization from Venezuela. Joshua Reiss, general counsel for the current DA's office, called Ogg's actions an "abhorrent violation" of professional expectations, as reported by Click2Houston. Both the current administration and the defense expressed concern that the pretrial publicity could affect the jury pool and impact the defendants’ right to a fair trial.
Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl, disappeared on June 16, 2024, after putting her brother to bed. Her body was found hours later on West Rankin Road. The case is being handled by Judge Hill, who is considering a request to strengthen the gag order. The suspects, Peña and Jose Martinez-Rangel, are in custody with ICE immigration holds and face capital murder charges, as mentioned by KHOU
