Sister of victim speaks out after arrest of man described as serial killer by police
AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Police Department Chief is reviewing how detectives handled a murder case linked to an accused serial killer.
APD says Raul Meza could be responsible for a dozen murders, including at least two in the last four years.
After his most recent arrest, the sister of an 8-year-old girl he raped and murdered in the early 1980s is speaking out.
Kendra was the baby of the Page family. In 1982, she was eight years old. Her sister Tracy was 15.
"We had a lot of good times, a lot of fun for eight years of her life," Tracy said.
Meza was convicted for Kendra's rape and murder and leaving her in a dumpster.
"The first thing I heard was my mom screaming," Tracy said.
The case left the whole family numb, and Tracy says it drove them apart over the years.
"It has been a nightmare ever since that day. Every Christmas, holidays after that were hard," she said.
Meza was sentenced to 30 years in prison but was released on parole in 1993 after serving 11 years.
Tracy says the case consumed her father, going to Meza's parole hearings to advocate against his release.
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"Make him serve his 30 years. This wouldn't have happened," Tracy said. "I think he found the devil, and the devil's still in him."
Meza was arrested earlier this week after police say he confessed to stabbing his roommate, Jessa Fraga, to death last month.
"I almost dropped the phone, I was shaking, because it wasn't too far from where I was at, and I could've run into him any time," Tracy said about when she found out.
Police say Meza also confessed to the murder of Gloria Lofton in 2019.
"I have a lot, a lot of anger. Then I have sadness for the other people that have had to deal with this," Tracy said.
APD confirms the police chief has opened an administrative review on any lapses in the Gloria Lofton investigation. However, Tracy says that's not enough.
"They need to do a deeper investigation for everyone, everything, from the time he got out," she said.
She adds she doesn't think the judicial system did enough for her family or other victims' families.
"What the heck are you all thinking? You need to get your head out of your butt and start paying attention to what's going on. Look back at these people's histories," she said.
Tracy says this would be her message to Meza.
"Why did you take my sister from us? What were her last words? What was her last sound? I want that to haunt you the rest of your life because this haunted us because you did this to her," she said. "I want him to go to jail and stay there. I want him to get life."
Tracy also says she's interested in connecting with the families of the other victims as a support system.