A Texas man who raped and killed an eight-year-old girl has been charged with two more murders after he was released from prison.
Raul Meza Jr., 62, served roughly a third of his 30-year sentence in the 1982 rape and killing of 8-year-old Kendra Page, whose body was found in an Austin elementary school dumpster.
Meza was released in 1993 but was driven out of six different cities by protesters who did not want him in their neighborhoods.
The child rapist and possible serial killer has been charged with murdering his 80-year-old roommate, Jesse Fraga, in May and his former neighbor Gloria Lofton, 65, in 2019.
A grand jury has determined that Meza strangled Lofton “in the course of committing and attempting to commit the offense of aggravated sexual assault.”
NBC reports, “After authorities launched a manhunt for Meza, whom they described as Fraga’s caregiver and roommate, he called a city of Austin hotline and told a homicide detective: ‘My name is Raul Meza, and I think you’re looking for me,’ according to the affidavit.”
Fraga was a former probation officer and spent decades trying to help Meza after he was released.
“During the call, Meza confessed to the murders of Fraga and Lofton, the affidavit says. Meza said that he killed Fraga after becoming frustrated over a sexual relationship the two were having, according to the affidavit. Authorities have not corroborated the claim.”
Austin Police are now looking at as many as ten cold cases, going as far back as 1996, that could be connected to Meza, NBC News reports.
Meza is scheduled to appear in court on August 22. He is currently being held at the Travis County Jail.
