AUSTIN (KXAN) — After court documents gave details of what led to murder charges for an Austin man called a “serial killer” by a city official, KXAN got more insight on what led up to the man’s arrest and the moment he was apprehended.
Raul Meza Jr., 62, was identified and arrested and charged after confessing to the murder of his roommate Jesse Fraga, 80. Meza also implicated himself in the murder of Gloria Lofton, 66, in 2019, three years after Austin Police said he was released from Travis County Jail.
KXAN’s Jennifer Sanders interviewed Deputy U.S. Marshal Brandon Filla, and he talked about the role the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force played in arresting Meza Jr.
Filla said the task force got involved on May 24 after the Pflugerville Police Department requested the agency’s assistance to locate and apprehend Meza Jr., who had a warrant for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
However, later that day, Filla said this was when Meza Jr. made the confession to the Austin Police Department that he was the person who committed two homicides of Fraga and Lofton.
Filla gave steps to how PPD, APD and the task force worked together to apprehend Meza Jr.
Meza Jr. was arrested on May 25 by the task force.
Filla said the task force was a supplement to helping find Meza Jr., arrest him and bring him to some type of justice for the victims, as well as their families.
The case remained under investigation Wednesday.