91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Watch CBS News
Local News

FBI offers new $50,000 reward for information leading to arrest of Garland teen wanted for 2021 capital murder

By
Briauna Brown
Briauna Brown is a digital content producer for CBS Texas and the South region. A longtime and versatile journalist, Briauna writes, edits and produces social media content for all CBS Texas digital platforms.
Read Full Bio
Briauna Brown

/ CBS Texas

The FBI, along with the Garland Police Department, announced Wednesday an increased reward of $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of the Garland teen wanted for a 2021 triple murder.

Abel Elias Acosta, has been on the run since he was 14 years old, following the shooting and killing of three teenagers, ages 14, 16 and 17, at a convenience store.

Abel Acosta, who was identified as the alleged shooter, was believed to have fled to Mexico with the help of his father, Richard Acosta Jr., who was indicted and charged with capital murder for his role in helping his son.

What happened the night of the shooting

According to Garland Police, on Dec. 26, 2021, officers were called to a Texaco gas station in the 700 block of West Walnut Street after multiple victims were shot. When they arrived, officers found four victims, including three teens who died at the scene.

Surveillance video helped identify both Abel Acosta and Richard Acosta Jr at the scene. Richard Acosta was seen driving his son to the store the night of the shooting, and after Abel Acosta allegedly opened fire on the victims, he hopped back into the vehicle, and his father sped them away.

Richard Acosta turned himself in a day later and was charged with capital murder. He later testified that he didn't know his son had a gun or had shot anyone, only that the teen got into his vehicle and told his father to drive away because someone was shooting.

He also said that he didn't know where his son was; however, prosecutors argued he helped Abel Acosta leave the country.

In 2023, Richard Acosta was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

FBI asking for tips

A federal arrest warrant was issued for Abel Acosta, who is now 18 years old, after he was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

The teen is considered to be armed and dangerous.

"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," FBI Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rohrock said in a statement.

If you any information concerning Abel Acosta's location, you're asked to call the FBI at 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 by contacting the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

"For the family, friends, and the entire community, this case remains a wound that cannot begin to heal until justice is served. 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," Garland Police Chief Jeff Bryan said in a statement. "We hope this reward encourages anyone with information about Abel Acosta's whereabouts to provide that information to law enforcement." 

In:

© 2026 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
const link = doc.createElement('link'); link.rel = 'stylesheet'; link.href = '/fly/fly/bundles/cbsnewscontent/css/cmp-banner.min.css?v=296763317a51cab90faa73f1bb146d5c'; doc.head.appendChild(link); doc.body.innerHTML = CONSENT_MESSAGE; } else { el.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', CONSENT_MESSAGE); } }); } function hidePrivacyMessage() { // Remove from the main document document.querySelectorAll(`.${CONSENT_MESSAGE_CLASS}`).forEach(el => el.remove()); // Remove from inside any iframes document.querySelectorAll('iframe').forEach(iframe => { const doc = iframe.contentDocument || iframe.contentWindow.document; doc.querySelectorAll(`.${CONSENT_MESSAGE_CLASS}`).forEach(el => el.remove()); }); } function activateGatedScripts() { // Handle both new format (cmp-gated-script) and old OneTrust/Ketch format (optanon-category-4) const gatedScripts = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('script.cmp-gated-script, script.optanon-category-4')); // Activate scripts sequentially with a small delay to avoid timing issues let delay = 0; gatedScripts.forEach(function(placeholder, index) { setTimeout(function() { // Skip if already processed if (placeholder.hasAttribute('data-cmp-processed')) { return; } placeholder.setAttribute('data-cmp-processed', 'true'); const newScript = document.createElement('script'); newScript.type = 'text/javascript'; // Try new format first (data-cmp-src), then fall back to old format (data-src) const src = placeholder.getAttribute('data-cmp-src') || placeholder.getAttribute('data-src'); if (src) { newScript.src = src; } else if (placeholder.textContent) { // Inline script - just copy the content newScript.textContent = placeholder.textContent; } // Handle new format attributes (data-cmp-attrs) - for both inline and external scripts const attrs = placeholder.getAttribute('data-cmp-attrs'); if (attrs) { const tempDiv = document.createElement('div'); tempDiv.innerHTML = '
<\/div>'; const tempAttrs = tempDiv.firstChild.attributes; for (let i = 0; i < tempAttrs.length; i++) { // For external scripts, allow defer/async. For inline scripts, skip them (not valid) if (src || (tempAttrs[i].name !== 'async' && tempAttrs[i].name !== 'defer')) { newScript.setAttribute(tempAttrs[i].name, tempAttrs[i].value); } } } // Copy other attributes from old OneTrust format for (let i = 0; i < placeholder.attributes.length; i++) { const attr = placeholder.attributes[i]; // Skip attributes we've already handled or don't want to copy if (!['class', 'data-src', 'data-type', 'data-cmp-src', 'data-cmp-attrs', 'data-cmp-processed', 'type', 'async', 'defer', 'src'].includes(attr.name)) { newScript.setAttribute(attr.name, attr.value); } } placeholder.parentNode.replaceChild(newScript, placeholder); // If external script, manually trigger window.onload handlers after it loads // This handles widgets that use window.onload for initialization if (src) { newScript.addEventListener('load', function() { // If page already loaded and script set a new onload handler, trigger it if (document.readyState === 'complete' && window.onload) { const originalOnload = window.onload; window.onload = null; // Clear temporarily to prevent loops originalOnload(); // Execute the handler } }); } }, delay); delay += 500; // 500ms delay between each script to allow full loading }); } cbsoptanon.onScriptsReady(function(cmp) { cmp.ot.targetingAllowed(function(allowed) { if (!allowed) { showPrivacyMessage(); } else { activateGatedScripts(); } }); cmp.ot.awaitInitialConsent(function(consent_model) { cmp.ot.addOnConsentChangedHandler(function() { cmp.ot.targetingAllowed(function(allowed) { if (allowed) { hidePrivacyMessage(); activateGatedScripts(); } else { showPrivacyMessage(); } }); }); }); });