Richard Acosta: Father of boy accused of fatally shooting 3 Texas teens found guilty of capital murder
DALLAS, TEXAS: A Texas man has been found guilty of capital murder in the fatal shooting of three teenagers by his then-14-year-old son. A jury in Dallas convicted Richard Acosta, 34, of capital murder on Friday, February 10, 2023, for his involvement in the triple homicide of Xavier Gonzalez, 14; Ivan Noyala, 16; and Rafael Garcia, 17, the day after Christmas in 2021. A 15-year-old newly hired cook, who got injured in the shooting, has recovered.
Acosta had previously testified that he did not know his son Abel Acosta had a gun or had shot anyone and claimed that the teenager had got into his vehicle and told his father to drive away because someone was shooting, according to the New York Post. Abel disappeared shortly after the fatal shootings. Authorities said that the teenager remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous. Meanwhile, prosecutors debated that the father sought to do away with the evidence as well as tried to shift his family from Garland. In conclusion, the jury rejected Acosta's testimony.
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'We will not stop until Abel Acosta is captured'
Acosta, who confessed days after the shooting and was indicted nearly one year ago, stated that his 14-year-old son disappeared later the night of the shooting. “We are only halfway to justice,” read a statement posted on the Facebook page of the Garland Police Department, declaring that authorities would continue to search for the teenager. “We will not stop until Abel Acosta is captured,” the post read. It further urges "anyone with information on the whereabouts of Abel Acosta to contact the Garland Police Department" on 972-485-4840.
Richard Acosta does not know where his son is
Acosta reportedly testified that he is unaware of his son’s current location. While capital murder could lead to the death penalty, Acosta has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. He was convicted under a Texas law that allows accomplices to be charged even if they did not commit the actual crime.