Garland triple murder suspect Abel Acosta featured on FOX's 'America's Most Wanted'
GARLAND, Texas - A Garland triple murder case involving teenagers got the national spotlight on "America’s Most Wanted."
On FOX 4 Monday night, the long-running, true-crime show featured the case of Abel Acosta, the teenager wanted for shooting up a convenience store the day after Christmas in 2021.
He remains on the run. Police believe he's in Mexico.
A teenage triple-murder suspect out of Garland who’s been on the run for more than two years is now has a brighter spotlight on him as FOX’s America’s Most Wanted works to help investigators capture the fugitive.
Garland police say Abel shot and killed 17-year-old Rafael Garcia and 16-year-old Ivan Noyola, two teens involved in a prior conflict with Abel.
Abel also killed 14-year-old Xavier Gonzalez, an innocent bystander who was buying tacos for his family.
Xavier’s mother, Lluneli Lopez, shared her story with FOX 4 and interviewed with America’s Most Wanted. She talked about the evening her son never returned home.
"Tried to call him. He wouldn’t pick up. He was always picking up on the first call. That’s where I kind of got concerned. When we got there, I took off running to the gas station. They didn’t let me go into the gas station at all. And that’s when I turned around, and I saw my sister.," she recalled. "And I went over there to her, and I asked her, ‘Xavier. He’s gone.’ And I was like, ‘No, it’s not true.’ And she was like, ‘Yeah, he’s gone.’ And they were asking me what kind of clothes he had, and that’s when they told me it was him there and he passed away."
Investigators believe Abel is likely hiding in Mexico with help from family members.
Abel’s father, Richard Acosta, was convicted of capital murder last February. He drove his son to commit the murders and helped him get away. He is serving life in prison.
Featured
Family of teen killed in Garland convenience store shooting still hoping his killer is caught
The families of three murdered teenagers are still left with no answers about where the accused shooter is, even after his own father was convicted for his role in the capital murders at a convenience store in Garland back in 2021.
Meanwhile, the nightmare for Xavier’s family continues.
"He’s your angel now. You know that?" America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh told Lopez. "I didn’t want to make you cry, but I wanted you to come here and give you some hope."
FOX 4 spoke to the Garland Police Department Monday, and they still have no updates to release on Abel’s whereabouts. Anyone with info is asked to contact them.
Featured
2 years later, search continues for Garland convenience store shooting suspect who killed 3 teens
It’s now been two years since Xavier Gonzalez went to a Texaco convenience store in Garland to buy tacos for his family. The 14-year-old never made it home. The search is on for now-16-year-old Abel Acosta, the suspected shooter. But investigators fear he may not be in the country anymore.