Raul Meza, aged 62 and charged with multiple murders, is under investigation. This includes the murders of his roommate, Jesse Fraga, and 65-year-old Gloria Lofton of Austin, reports Hoodline. In November 2023, the victim's families urged the court not to consider plea deals in Meza's case. Christina Fultz, Gloria Lofton's daughter, desires "no plea deal, definitely the death penalty," as per KXAN.
Meza's plea deals in past events prompted this demand. He was convicted for murdering 8-year-old Kendra Page in 1982, yet due to a plea deal, he served only 11 of his 30-year prison sentence. The lenient state law then allowed for the reduction of sentences for good behavior and vocational training in prison according to KXAN.
In 2019, Gloria Lofton was murdered at her East Austin residence. Earlier this year, Meza confessed to Jesse Fraga's murder and his involvement in Lofton's murder, informs Hoodline. In addition, Meza's potential connections to 8 to 10 cold cases are under investigation for shared patterns. Meza planned to commit further murders before his capture, investigator Bruce Mills stated, leaving the unanswered question: "He's killed how many people? We don't know," cites ABC News.
Russ Hunt Jr., Meza's attorney, confirms that deciding whether plea agreements will be part of the ongoing negotiations is “It’s too early to tell on a case like this,” He adds, "Mr. Meza is in a very tough position. He obviously doesn't want to be incarcerated. He's trying to figure out what his best options are at this point," as reported by KXAN.
