AUSTIN, Texas – Raul Meza Jr.’s status hearing has been rescheduled to take place in January, as the accused Texas serial killer appeared in a Travis County courtroom on Monday. The judge informed Meza that the discovery phase of his case is ongoing, and the state is still reviewing evidence, pushing his court date to Jan. 17, 2024.

During the hearing, Meza remained silent, prompting Christina Fultz, the daughter of one of his alleged victims, to criticize his behavior. Fultz, whose mother was killed in 2019, expressed her dismay, stating that Meza couldn’t even look up at anyone in the room, calling him a “boldface coward.” Other families affected by Meza’s alleged crimes also attended the hearing to show support for the victims and to ensure that justice is served.

According to authorities, Meza confessed to killing Jesse Fraga in Pflugerville earlier this year. He has also reportedly admitted to a double murder in San Antonio, although details about that case have not been released. In addition, Meza was previously convicted of the murder of 8-year-old Kendra Page in the 1980s, serving only about 12 years in prison before being released for good behavior.

Meza’s defense attorney, Russ Hunt Jr., expressed that it is too early to discuss plea deals and mentioned that if they do go to trial, it would only happen next year or later. Lofton’s daughter emphasized the family’s desire to see the case go to trial without a plea deal, and pushed for the death penalty, asserting that Meza has been ruining generations of lives for decades.

With the next hearing scheduled, Fultz confirmed that she and other family members of the victims will continue to attend every court proceeding until justice is served. Police also mentioned in a press conference earlier this year that they believe Meza is responsible for more than 10 deaths.

(Note: This rewrite follows the AP News Style and does not include headers or titles in front of the paragraphs in the article.)