The Texas father of an accused shooter who was himself charged with capital murder for allegedly driving the getaway vehicle was found guilty of capital murder on Friday afternoon.
Richard Acosta Jr. was accused of driving his son, Abel Acosta, to the Garland store where he fatally shot three teenagers and wounded another before speeding off on December 26, 2021. Richard turned himself in to police the following day, but Abel remains at large. He also faces a charge of capital murder.
According to police, Richard and Abel pulled up to a convenience store in the 700 block of W. Walnut St. in a white truck that evening. Abel allegedly left the truck with a handgun and began shooting, killing 14-year-old Xavier Gonzalez, 16-year-old Ivan Noyala, and 17-year-old Rafael Garcia. A 15-year-old cook was also injured but was later released from the hospital.
Police arrested a 14-year-old boy shortly after the shooting, but he was never charged with any wrongdoing. Richard turned himself in to Garland police the next day and was charged with capital murder of multiple persons. He was indicted by a grand jury on Feb. 18, 2022.
At trial, Richard insisted that he had no foreknowledge of the shooting. He said that he and Abel stopped to get some Tylenol and that he didn’t know his son had a gun or was the person who fired it inside. Dallas DA John Creuzot said in his closing argument, however, that a reasonable person would not have sped away from the scene.
The jury deliberated for just under four hours before returning the verdict. Richard showed no emotion as it was read, but some of his family members cried as they left the courtroom.
Under Texas law, Richard automatically receives life in prison without parole for the capital murder charge.
Abel has not been seen for more than a year.
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