Perspective on investigating suspects linked to multiple murders

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Authorities across Texas are looking at their outstanding cold cases to see if there might be a connection to Raul Meza, who a city official called a serial killer this week after police arrested him for murder.

Meza, 62, was identified and arrested and charged after confessing to the murder of his roommate Jesse Fraga, 80. in Pflugerville. 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.

Texas Municipal Police Association Executive Director Kevin Lawrence isn't connected with this case, but he has experience investigating people charged in multiple homicides.

"It's actually typically pretty overwhelming," he said. "Multiple crime scenes, multiple sets of witnesses, and you have to coordinate all that. You'll be working a murder case, then all of a sudden you'll start to get info about another incident, another case. Or another agency will call you out of the blue saying 'Hey we have a similar case over here and we'd like to share notes.'"

Lawrence also said people who repeatedly get away with killing others typically have a similar personality trait.

"Very charismatic, smooth talking, very comfortable in their own skin," he said. "And therefore they're able to hide in plain sight."

Click here for our extensive coverage on Meza's criminal history.