“(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,” Deputy US Marshal Brandon Filla said at the press conference.
Worst of the worst
Over the last 50 years, Meza has racked up a long rap sheet. He was in and out of jail often. And was often arrested for violent crimes.
He was first arrested and charged with the aggravated robbery of an Austin convenience store clerk in 1975.
Meza was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in jail. But he only served five years.
In January 1982, while on parole for the robbery he was charged with raping and murdering eight-year-old Kendra Page. And accused of dumping her body into an elementary school’s dumpster.
Meza was found guilty of the murder and was sentenced to 46 years in prison. He was released for “good behavior after only 11 years. He was returned to prison in 1994 for violating his parole.
“Here’s a serial killer that justice was not served. It was a travesty of justice,” said Interim Assistant City Manager Bruce Mills, the lead detective in the 1982 Kendra Page murder investigation.
