Photo: Austin Police Department
Authorities in Texas are opening up several cold cases following the arrest of 62-year-old Raul Meza Jr. The Austin Police Department said that Meza called the police on May 24 and admitted to killing his 80-year-old roommate, Jesse Fraga, and 66-year-old Gloria Lofton in 2019.
"My name is Raul Meza, and you're looking for me," Meza told Detective Patrick Reed.
"I got out in 2016; I end up murdering a lady soon afterwards. It was on Sara Drive," he added.
Meza served 11 years in prison for the murder and rape of eight-year-old Kendra Paige in 1982.
Despite confessing to the crimes, Meza did not say where he was, and it took authorities five days to locate him. He was taken into custody and is facing charges of capital murder.
When officers found Meza, they found a bag with zip ties, duct tape, and a loaded gun.
"Mr. Meza said he was ready and prepared to kill again, and he was looking forward to it," said Reed.
Investigators said that Meza could be responsible for at least ten other murders dating back to the 1990s.
"There is a good possibility that we will find additional cases," Austin police Detective Katy Conner said. "Right now, we have between eight and 10 cases that kind of fit these similar circumstances that we're looking at, but that can obviously grow."