Father convicted of being getaway driver for 14-year-old son in convenience store triple murder

A man was convicted Friday of capital murder after serving as the getaway driver for his son in a triple homicide. Father Richard Acosta Jr., 34, is behind bars, but police in the city of Garland, Texas, are still looking for the alleged shooter: Abel Elias Acosta, who was 14 when it happened.

Police previously said Abel Acosta shot and killed three other teenage boys and wounded a fourth person in a convenience store shooting on Dec. 26, 2021. Officers identified the slain victims as Xavier Gonzalez, 14, Ivan Noyala, 16, and Rafael Garcia, 17.

“The shooting appears to be in retaliation from a previous disturbance and was believed to be a targeted attack on one or more of the persons inside the store,” police said.

Richard Acosta had driven to the scene with his son in a Dodge Ram and fled with his son inside the vehicle, officers said. He turned himself in. Abel Acosta did not. Police publicly named the teenager.

“It is typically not the practice of the Garland Police Department to release juvenile information, but due to the nature of the offense and potential risk to the public, the court has authorized the release of his information,” they said.

Young Acosta, facing a capital murder case, was described as light skinned and Hispanic, with brown eyes. At the time, officers said he stood five feet, five inches and weighed around 125 pounds. Authorities said they originally took another 14-year-old boy into custody but said he was not the shooter.

“We are only halfway to justice,” the police department said in a statement on Friday. “The search continues. We will not stop until Abel Acosta is captured.”

Police ask anyone with information on the teenager’s whereabouts to call them at 972-485-4840. You can also submit anonymous tips to Garland Crime Stoppers at 972-272-8477 (TIPS), or www.garlandcrimestoppers.org, they said. There is a reward of $10,000, they said.