A suspected serial killer, thought to have murdered 13 people, handed himself in to police after calling and telling them ‘I think you are looking for me.’
Raul Meza Jr, 62, admitted to two murders during a chilling call to cops in Austin, Texas, on May 24, and was charged on Tuesday, May 30, with two murders.
The 2019 murder of 66-year-old Gloria Lofton and the May 20, 2023, murder of former probation officer Jesse Fraga, 80. Metro reports.
‘I will let you know that Mr Meza said he was ready and prepared to kill again, and he was looking forward to it,’ said Detective Patrick Reed.
He began his violent criminal career in 1975, serving multiple prison sentences, with his alleged crimes beginning as a teenager.
Deputy US Marshall Brandon Filla described him as ‘the worst of the worst.’
‘Here’s a serial killer that justice was not served,’ said Interim Assistant City Manager Bruce Mills. ‘It was a travesty of justice.’
Mr Mills was the primary investigator on the 1982 case where Meza was convicted of murdering eight-year-old Kendra Page.
‘We don’t know how many more people he killed or would have killed,’ Mr Mills said.
Meza’s violent crimes began on New Year’s Eve in 1975, when he and three other teens robbed a convenience store near St Edward’s University in Austin.
During the robbery, Meza shot store attendant Derly Ramirez in the back, leaving him paralysed.
He was convicted at 15-years-old of aggravated robbery in 1976 and sentenced to 20 years in prison, but released on parole in 1981 – less than a year later, he struck again.
On January 3, 1982, Meza strangled and sexually assaulted eight-year-old Kendra Page as she was riding her bike near Langford Elementary School.
Her body was found naked near a rubbish bin at the school.
He handed himself in three days later, taking a plea bargain, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
In 1993, having served 11 years of his sentence, Meza was released on time served plus time for good behaviour.
But it wasn’t long until he was back behind bars.
In August 1994, Meza was found to have violated parole and was sent back to prison. He was released once more in 2016.
But in 2019, he allegedly murdered 66-year-old Gloria Lofton in her own home.
Gloria was known to neighbours as being private but exceptionally kind, according to The Austin American Statesman.
She was known for helping others, and often invited people in off the street to stay with her. But it is known her mental and physical health was starting to go downhill.
Austin police confirmed on Tuesday, May 30, that Meza’s DNA was found at the crime scene.
A medical examiner said Gloria’s cause of death was not conclusive, but said there was evidence she was strangled.
On May 20, 2023, Meza allegedly went on to murder former probation officer Jesse Fraga, 80.
Jesse had allowed Meza to live with him in his Pflugerville home for the last two years, as the pair had known each other since the 1990s.
Jesse was reportedly strangled to death with a belt, with the Travis County Medical Exmainer later noting that Jesse also had a puncture wound in his neck that had severed his spine.
In total, Meza is thought to have killed as many as 10 people in addition to Kendra Page, Gloria Lofton and Jesse Fraga.
‘We have between eight and 10 cases that kind of fit these similar circumstances that we’re looking at,’ said Austing Police Detective Katy Conner at a press conference announcing Meza’s arrest.
‘But that could obviously grow.’
Assistant chief of Austin Police Department Bruce Mills said ‘somebody made a bad decision’ 40 years ago by allowing Meza to ‘manipulate the system’.
Meza was arrested at his home with a pistol, zip ties and duct tape.
