A convicted murderer who was released early from prison in the ’90s in Texas has now agreed to a life sentence for two new murder charges. Raul Meza Jr., 63, served approximately ten years in prison for the killing of an 8-year-old girl in 1982 and was subsequently released in 1993 under early release laws of that time.
Meza pleaded guilty to the murders of 65-year-old Gloria Lofton in 2019 and 80-year-old Jesse Fraga in 2023. In a deal, he accepted a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, thus avoiding the death penalty, despite objections from the victims’ families.
Travis County District Attorney José Garza expressed hope that this outcome would aid in the healing process for the families of Lofton and Fraga. Meza’s early release in 1993 caused controversy, leading to protests and him being run out of several Texas cities due to public outrage.
The families of the victims expressed disappointment that Meza did not face a trial and that the death penalty was not sought. Sonia Houston, Loftin’s daughter, stated in court that a lifetime in jail would not equate to the pain the families have endured, and accepting the plea was granting Meza what he desired.
Back in 1982, Meza was convicted of the murder of 8-year-old Kendra Page, where he was sentenced to 30 years but served only 11 after accepting a plea agreement. Meza’s call to the Austin police in 2023 confessing to Fraga’s murder and implicating himself in Lofton’s killing led to the latest charges against him.
Despite the families’ wishes for a different outcome, Meza will now spend the remainder of his life behind bars, ensuring he poses no further threat to the community.