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Grand Jury Indicts Richard Acosta Jr., Father Of Garland Teen Accused In Triple Murder At Convenience Store

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - A man accused of driving his son to and from a Garland a gas station convenience store where the 14-year-old is accused of fatally shooting three teens and wounding a fourth has been indicted on a capital murder charge.

A Dallas County grand jury on Thursday, Feb. 17, indicted Richard Acosta Jr., 33, on a charge of capital murder of multiple people.

He remained jailed Friday on $3 million bond.

Richard Acosta Jr.
Richard Acosta Jr. (credit: Garland PD)

Acosta's son, Abel Elias Acosta, has been on the run since the Dec. 26, 2021 shooting in Garland.

Police have charged the teen with capital murder and warned that he is armed and dangerous.

Abel Elias Acosta
Abel Elias Acosta (credit: Garland PD)

Garland Police Lt. Pedro Barineau said Friday, Feb. 18, authorities "don't have any specific information telling us where he is."

Richard Acosta surrendered to police a day after the shooting.

His lawyer, Heath Harris, has said his client didn't know his son was going into the store to shoot anyone nor that he had a gun.

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

A 15-year-old cook who was new on the job was also injured.

Barineau said the injured teen has since been released from the hospital and is doing well.

(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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