Texas man found guilty of murder after teenage son shoots and kills three in convenience store

The father of a teenage boy who shot and killed three other teens in a convenience store the day after Christmas in 2021 was found guilty of capital murder this week. 

Richard Acosta, 34, was convicted by a jury after three hours of deliberations on Friday and faces life in prison without parole when he is sentenced, according to Fox 4 Dallas. 

His son, then-14-year-old Abel Acosta, shot and killed 14-year-old Xavier Gonzalez, 17-year-old Rafael Garcia, and 16-year-old Ivan Noyala at a convenience store in Garland, Texas. 

Richard drove his son to and from the convenience store on the night of the shooting, but did not pull the trigger, instead waiting outside in a truck while his son ran inside the store and opened fire. 

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Abel is still on the run after disappearing on the night of the murders. 

“We are only halfway to justice. The search continues,” the Garland Police Department said in a statement after Richard was convicted. “We will not stop until Abel Acosta is captured.”

Richard testified at trial that he drove his son to the store, but did not know the teen was armed and did not know his son shot anyone. Abel ran out of the store after the shooting and jumped in the backseat of Richard’s truck. 

“He says, ‘Go, get out. Somebody is shooting. Get me out of here,'” Richard testified, according to Fox 4 Dallas. 

Richard Acosta maintains that he still does not know where his son is.