Garland father found guilty of murder for driving son to store where he killed 3 teens

A North Texas father has been found guilty by a Dallas County jury of capital murder for the fatal shooting of three teenagers allegedly committed by his son at a Garland convenience store.

Richard Acosta Jr., 33, was arrested in December 2021 after turning himself in to the Garland Police Department. Richard Acosta was accused of playing a role in the murders by driving his son, Abel Elias Acosta, to and from the Texaco store where police say Abel fatally shot three teenagers and left one critically injured.

Abel Acosta has not been located.

Killed in the shooting were 14-year-old Xavier Gonzalez, 16-year-old Ivan Noyola and 17-year-old Rafael Garcia.

The defense rested its case Friday morning and closing arguments were made. The jury deliberated for about four hours before deciding to convict Richard Acosta of capital murder, which means he will spend the rest of his life in prison, Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV reported.

Acosta took the stand Thursday and testified that he didn’t know what his son intended to do the day he allegedly shot the victims.

“I would have tried to do something. I would have tried to stop any situation if he was going to try to harm somebody,” Acosta told the jury, according to WFAA.

Acosta testified that he drove to the convenience store with his son to get Tylenol for his wife, but was listening to the radio and never saw his son enter the store or shoot anyone, KDFW-TV reported.

He told the jury his son jumped out of the truck to confront teens who he knew inside the store about his stolen necklace.

Richard Acosta testified that he heard several gunshots and then Abel ran back to the truck, according to WFAA. “’Get out of here! Somebody’s shooting! Get me out of here!” Acosta testified that his son said.

Abel did not tell his father what happened, according to the father’s testimony. He said he didn’t press Abel for answers or call 911 when they got home.

Abel was gone about an hour after they arrived at their home, he said. Abel had a history of running away, according his father.

“I want him to turn himself in,” Richard Acosta testified. No one knows about the whereabouts of Abel, he said.

Prosecutors allege that the father has been helping the son evade arrest.

A reward is being offered for Abel’s arrest. Anyone with information regarding Abel’s location is asked to call police at 972-485-4869.