California stepdad jailed in girl’s 2004 Miami slaying dies weeks after suicide attempt
The California nurse arrested last month in the cold case killing of his stepdaughter in Miami 16 years ago died Thursday at a Central Coast hospital from complications of a suicide attempt behind bars, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reports.
Raul Mata, 46, had been held in Santa Cruz County custody as a fugitive from justice since his Sept. 21 arrest where he awaited extradition to Florida on first-degree murder charges in the Sept. 17, 2004, slashing death of stepdaughter Dilcia Mejia. Dilcia had celebrated her 16th birthday just five days before she was found dead, her throat slit, inside the bedroom of her North Miami-Dade trailer home, the Miami Herald reported.
A week after his California arrest, Mata was taken to an area hospital Sept. 28 after he reportedly wounded himself in the left groin area, the Sentinel reported citing a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s news release.
Miami-Dade authorities did not arrest Mata after his stepdaughter’s death but had long suspected the Watsonville man in the girl’s death.
But it wasn’t until Florida forensics experts linked Mata’s DNA with Mejia that Miami-Dade detectives had the leads they needed.
Crucial evidence was found underneath Mejia’s fingernails: Mata’s DNA that suggested the stepdaughter’s desperate struggle to survive, the Herald reported following his September arrest.
Investigators in May asked to have the teen’s fingernail clips examined and retested to take advantage of advances in DNA technology, according to the arrest affidavit, Miami television station WFOR-TV reported in September.
Investigators would later tie the DNA evidence to other physical evidence to solidify their case.
Mejias was last seen alive at the home she shared with her mother and stepfather Mata late on the night of Sept. 16, 2004, said Miami-Dade police. Mata reported finding her body the following morning. Mata and Mejia’s mother separated after Dilcia’s death and Mata relocated to California, the Sentinel reported.
According to a WFOR-TV report, Miami-Dade police said in the same affidavit that Mata and Mejia had a strained relationship and that investigators had learned a school counselor was preparing to tell the girl’s mother that Mata had made inappropriate advances toward her.
This story was originally published October 21, 2020 at 11:55 AM.
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