SAN DIEGO, Calif. — After seven days of deliberations, a federal jury Tuesday convicted David Enrique Meza of murdering his wealthy boyfriend in Mexico in order to inherit his estate.
The eight woman, four man jury also convicted Meza, 26, of conspiracy to obstruct justice in which he used his pregnant girlfriend to arrange for an alibi at the time Jake Clyde Merendino, 52, was killed May 2, 2015.
Sentencing was set for August 7 by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey Miller. Meza, of Otay Mesa, faces a life sentence in federal prison.
“David Meza took the life of a man who cared for him, lavished him with expensive gifts and who wanted to create a life with him,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alana Robinson.
“On this day, the second anniversary of Jake Merendino’s death, we salute the jury for delivering justice to a greedy killer who will now have to answer for his cruelty,” said Robinson.
Merendino was stabbed 22 times and his throat was slashed twice around 2 a.m. off a darkened road between Rosarito and Ensenada in Baja California. He was attacked after he got out of his Range Rover as Meza had called him to say his motorcycle had broken down there. His body was dragged into a ravine.
Meza produced a handwritten, 1-page will that was on the stationery of the Hercor Hotel in Chula Vista where Meza and Merendino sometimes stayed. He mailed it to the probate court in Galveston, Texas.
Jurors got to view the will. It said “I leave everything to David E. Meza,” and someone signed Merendino’s name.
Merendino had already prepared a will in 1998 and instructed an attorney to donate his estate to worthy animal causes. Meza was named as beneficiary to a condominium in Rosarito April 30, just two days before Merendino was killed.
“The greed, lies, and brutality of this crime were stark,” said FBI special agent Eric Birnbaum. “Today’s guilty verdict brings a measure of justice for Jake Merendino.”
Meza’s attorneys declined to comment afterwards. They had urged an acquittal, saying it would have been impossible for Meza to drag the 310-pound body of Merendino 33 feet to the ravine.
One juror told a reporter afterwards that jurors discussed the difficulty of Meza dragging the body, but they concluded “it could be done.” The juror also said Meza appeared to be strong.
Meza was described as a body builder and there are online videos of him lifting weights. The Web site “Gay Pop Buzz” mentioned an interview Meza had with Next Door Studios in which he discussed being a porn star.
People magazine also had online stories of the case and the jury’s verdicts.
Jurors were read excerpts from Meza’s emails to Merendino, his girlfriend and a few other men he went out with for a fee.
“He was gay for pay,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Ciaffa, who listed all the gifts Merendino gave Meza including a motorcycle, car and even nursing classes for which Meza attended three classes and got a cash refund after quitting.
“It was very important to look at the evidence and not morals,” said the juror. “We went through the evidence.”
The juror said the three-week trial was “very tiring” to go through and some jurors felt drained at night. Opening statements were made April 11.
Merendino wrote an email that described Meza as “a real sweetie” and “an absolute doll.” One witness testified Merendino shared nude photos of Meza with his friends. One witness said he could not identify Meza in court because he could not recognize him wearing clothing.
Jurors did not have to determine whether the murder was first or second degree as the federal charge itself involved the slaying of a U.S. citizen in another country. The conspiracy also took place in the U.S.
Richard Deke Falls, one Meza attorney, told jurors there was no physical evidence found that linked his client to the slaying. No DNA, fingerprints, blood or footprints linking Meza were found, though Meza was initially not a suspect until several weeks had passed.
Taylor Langston, 22, Meza’s girlfriend and now wife, pleaded guilty in Feb. to obstruction of justice in which she made false statements of Meza’s whereabouts the night Merendino was stabbed to death.
Langston remains free on $50,000 bond. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, though a lesser sentence is likely.
Langston’s grandfather attended the trial daily, and said he was stunned and in shock with the guilty verdicts. “I was of the opinion the defense did a stellar job, he said.
“I really think he was found guilty because of his lifestyle,” said the grandfather. “His lifestyle was to his detriment.”
Jurors had sent notes to Miller saying they were deadlocked on one count on Monday but had reached a verdict on another count. In several more notes, jurors revealed they were deadlocked on the conspiracy charge.
This prompted speculation that jurors might have acquitted Meza on the murder count since they were considered deadlocked on the conspiracy charge. Both defense lawyers had smiles on their faces upon hearing contents of the notes.
One note on Monday asked the judge “do all elements of obstruction have to be present for the onset of a conspiracy?” Miller consulted with attorneys and wrote the answer is no and referred them to the conspiracy instructions.
Jurors were able to reach a verdict on the conspiracy charge several hours later on Tuesday. “It took us time to reach that conclusion,” said the juror.
Meza has been in the Metropolitan Correctional Center without bail since his arrest Dec. 23, 2015. He did not testify.
