The Deadly Rich episode “The Boy Toy Killer” investigates the 2015 murder of 52-year-old Texan Jake “Jay” Merendino. His dead body, which had been stabbed 22 times, was found in a ravine near Rosarito Beach, Mexico. Merendino’s lover of nearly two years, David Enrique Meza, was found guilty of Merendino’s murder and was sentenced to life in prison in December 2017. Merendino and Meza met though an online gay escort service. Meza had Merendino write his will leaving Meza as sole heir on his $3 million estate.
Meza’s pregnant girlfriend at the time, Taylor Marie Langston, was also indicted for Merendino’s death. She entered a plea agreement to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice and was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison. Langston claimed she did not know about Meza’s secret life with Merendino or that Meza was a gay porn star who worked under the alias Mario Romo.
Meza’s attorney Reuben Cahn asked the judge to consider “the horrendous abuse” Meza suffered as a child before sentencing him. According to Cahn’s sentencing memo, as a young boy Meza was “molested by relatives, beaten and neglected.” Deadly Rich airs Mondays at 10pm on CNBC.
