AUSTIN, Texas – Suspected serial killer Raul Meza Jr. is under investigation for multiple murders, including the strangulation of Gloria Lofton and the capital murder of former probation officer Jesse Fraga. Authorities believe that Meza may be responsible for as many as 10 other homicides in Texas, as they continue to unravel his alleged killing spree.
Meza, 63, has a troubled past, starting with a sexual assault and murder of an 8-year-old girl in 1982. He served 11 years of a 30-year sentence before being released, only to violate parole in 1994 and return to prison. Since his supervised release ended in 2016, Meza has committed additional sexual assaults, making investigators believe that data from his Google account may link him to several unsolved homicides.
The search for evidence has led law enforcement to believe that Meza could be connected to a 2018 Austin cold case and two homicides in San Antonio. There is also speculation that one of Meza’s victims is college student Nicole Coleman, whose body was found naked in a wooded area of Austin in 2018 with signs of trauma. Her unsolved homicide has been a looming concern for the city.
Meza’s alleged crimes have left a trail of fear and uncertainty in the community, with families of the victims struggling to come to terms with the possibility that their loved ones may have been victims of the suspected serial killer. Despite the ongoing investigation, there has been no trial for any of the cases connected to Meza.