Suspected serial killer Raul Meza Jr. pleads guilty to multiple murder charges

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas – Suspected serial killer Raul Meza Jr. pleaded guilty to murder and capital murder charges in a Travis County courtroom on Monday.

Meza, 62, is charged in the deaths of Gloria Lofton in 2019 and Jesse Fraga in 2023.

Some victims' family members, who had pushed for a trial, sought the death penalty. Christina Fultz and Sonia Houston, Lofton's daughters, had previously expressed disappointment that the Travis County District Attorney's Office was considering a plea deal.

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Meza's criminal history dates back to 1982, when he was convicted of murdering 8-year-old Kendra Page. He served 11 years of a 30-year sentence before being released in 1993.

The case has been mired in controversy, including Austin police apologizing to Lofton's family in April for mishandling DNA evidence in their case.

Investigators have suspected that Meza could be linked to other unsolved murders, although Monday's trial only looked at the Lofton and Fraga cases.

The district attorney's office had previously declined to comment on plea negotiations, citing the need to protect the integrity of the case.

This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.