Texas police have apprehended a convicted child rapist and murderer, who is believed to be linked to multiple cold cases. Raul Meza Jr. came under suspicion during an investigation into the stabbing death of his 80-year-old roommate, Jesse Fraga, on May 20 in Pflugerville. Meza was spotted driving Fraga’s gray Toyota Tundra, prompting the police to obtain an arrest warrant.
In a chilling turn of events, Meza, 62, contacted the Homicide Division of the Austin Police Department and identified himself. “My name is Raul Meza, and you’re looking for me,” he confessed to Austin Police Detective Patrick Reed during a press conference. Meza went on to admit his involvement in the murders of Fraga and an unidentified woman in 2019, providing undisclosed details that had not been made public before.
During a welfare check on May 20, Pflugerville police discovered Fraga’s body in a closet, with a belt around his neck and evidence of knives and blood throughout the residence. The Travis County Medical Examiner determined that Fraga had died from a puncture wound and a severed cervical spine, according to an affidavit obtained by KVUE. Reports suggest that Fraga had encountered Meza in the 1990s when the latter was on parole and Fraga worked as an adult probation officer, seeking to aid Meza’s rehabilitation.
Following his confession, Meza was arrested and is currently facing four charges, including one capital murder charge, a felony for Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, and two undisclosed first-degree felonies. At the time of his arrest, police discovered Meza in possession of bags containing zip ties, duct tape, and ammunition. Deputy US Marshal Brandon Filla emphasized the quick and strategic approach taken during the arrest, stating, “(US Marshals) approached, surrounded him, and then took them into custody within a blink of an eye. And I think that was a key advantage based on what was in that bag.”
