Richard Acosta Jr. found guilty of capital murder in Garland shooting
GARLAND, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — A Texas man was found guilty of capital murder on Friday afternoon in connection with a shooting in Garland that left three people dead and one injured.
The jury deliberated for just under four hours before returning the verdict. Richard Acosta Jr. showed no emotion as it was read, but some of his family members cried as they left the courtroom. Capital murder carries a penalty of life in prison without parole or the death penalty. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty in this case.
Acosta Jr. was accused of being the driver who assisted his son, Abel Acosta, during a crime in December of 2021. Abel Acosta, also charged with capital murder, is accused of allegedly entering a Garland convenience store and fatally shooting Xavier Gonzalez,14, Ivan Noyala, 16, and Rafael Garcia, 17 . A 15-year-old was also injured in the shooting before Acosta fled the scene.
Acosta Jr. turned himself in to Garland police the day after the shooting, but his son Abel remains at large.
During the trial, Acosta Jr. insisted that he had no foreknowledge of the shooting. He testified that he and his son stopped to get some Tylenol but that he didn't know his son was in possession of a gun or was the person who fired it inside. Dallas District Attorney John Creuzot said in his closing argument, however, that a reasonable person would not have sped away from the scene.
Garland police are still offering a $10,000 reward for information about the whereabouts of Abel Acosta. Anyone with information regarding is asked to call Garland Crime Stoppers at 972-272-8477.
This is a developing story. Check back later for more.