The FBI and the Garland police are offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of Abel Elias Acosta. He is facing capital murder charges for the fatal shooting of three teenagers at a convenience store in December 2021.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock and Garland Police Chief Jeff Bryan announced the reward. Acosta, who was 14 at the time of the shootings, has not been seen since the night of the crimes and is believed to have fled to Mexico. He is now 18.
FOX 4 reported in December 2021 that Garland Crime Stoppers offered a $5,000 reward in the case and that Jerry Reynolds, president of Car Pro Radio Network and owner of KPIR, added another $5,000, bringing the total reward at the time to $10,000.
“My hope was twofold: first, to help law enforcement capture Abel Acosta, and second, to encourage other like-minded citizens to step up and support the reward effort,” Reynolds told The Dallas Express. “What happened in Garland was awful and totally uncalled for.”
On the evening of December 26, 2021, officers responded to a convenience store where three juveniles — ages 14, 16, and 17 — were found dead from gunshot wounds. A fourth victim was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Acosta was identified as the alleged shooter, and a state warrant for capital murder was issued.
A federal arrest warrant was later issued in the Northern District of Texas, charging him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Authorities describe him as a white Hispanic male born in Garland who should be considered armed and dangerous.
In February 2023, Richard Acosta, Jr., the father of Abel Acosta, was convicted of murder for knowingly acting as the wheelman and accomplice for his son during the shooting. Richard Acosta drove his son to and from the convenience store but claimed he was unaware of what had transpired inside. He is currently serving a life sentence without possibility of parole. Prosecutors alleged that he helped his son flee the country after the murders.
Rothrock said the reward is intended to generate new leads.
“Today, the FBI is announcing a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Abel Elias Acosta,” he said. “We know he has longstanding ties to the Garland area, and we ask anyone with information to contact the FBI. The FBI will continue to work with our partners at the Garland Police Department to bring justice to the victims’ families and the Garland community.”
Bryan said the case remains painful for the community.
“For the family, friends, and the entire community, this case remains a wound that cannot begin to heal until justice is served,” he said. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to pursuing that justice, and we are grateful for the continued partnership of the FBI and all agencies working alongside us.
“We hope this reward encourages anyone with information about Abel Acosta’s whereabouts to provide that information to law enforcement. We also urge Abel Acosta to find the resolve to do what is right and come forward.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the FBI’s Dallas Field Office at 972-559-5000. Tips can also be submitted at tips.fbi.gov or through the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. All tips can remain anonymous and are kept confidential.
Wanted posters are available in English and Spanish at fbi.gov. The FBI’s Dallas Field Office is handling the fugitive investigation. The Garland Police Department and Dallas County District Attorney’s Office are leading the homicide case.
