Suspect arrested for 2017 cold case homicide of Christian Barajas

MEDFORD, Ore. – Medford Police Department arrested a 27-year-old for the 2017 murder of Christian Barajas.

According to police, officers were called to a drive-by shooting on Chestnut Street the day before Thanksgiving in 2017.

Officers found 23-year-old Barajas dead on the side of the road. Barajas had been shot four times.

Over the next several days, investigators say they interviewed multiple witnesses and obtained video surveillance leading up to the encounter.

Police say Raul Meza-Solorio, 27, was identified early in the investigation as a person of interest. Search warrants were issued for his home and vehicle however, there wasn’t enough evidence to make an arrest at that time.

Detectives say they had to navigate through several witnesses who wouldn’t give key information on the case. Without the eyewitness information, the case went cold.

For the past six years, detectives say the investigation had been top priority. Over the last several months, new information was discovered that pointed to Meza-Solorio as the sole suspect.

Meza-Solorio was arrested at his White City home on Wednesday. He was interviewed at the Medford Police Department before being booked into Jackson County Jail for second-degree murder.

Here’s our report from November 17, 2017