Two years have passed since a tragic event shook the community of Garland. On the day after Christmas 2021, three teenagers were gunned down in a convenience store on West Walnut Street, and the search for the suspected shooter, now 16-year-old Abel Acosta, continues with no significant breakthroughs. The triple homicide claimed the lives of 14-year-old Xavier Gonzalez, who had merely stepped out to buy tacos for his family, and two other teens, 17-year-old Rafael Garcia and 16-year-old Ivan Noyola.
In a crime that left the city aghast, Abel Acosta reportedly fired at least 20 rounds in mere seconds. Captured by the convenience store's surveillance cameras, the chilling footage depicts Acosta alighting from his father's truck, unleashing a barrage of bullets inside the store, and fleeing the scene, as detailed by NBC DFW.
Rafael Garcia and Ivan Noyola were said to be previously embroiled in conflict with Abel Acosta. Xavier Gonzalez, however, found himself tragically caught in the crossfire as an innocent bystander. The devastation has left grieving families yearning for justice in a Christmas forever marred by the absence of their loved ones, according to FOX 4 News.
Earlier this year, Richard Acosta Jr., Abel's 35-year-old father, was convicted of capital murder for his role as the getaway driver in the shooting. While his sentencing to life imprisonment provides some measure of respite, families of the victims, like Xavier's, are painfully reminded that the main suspect is still at large. Lluneli Lopez, Xavier's mother, expressed the torment of that reality, "Because the person who took the life away from my son is still out there on the run." Garland Police believe Abel is likely hiding in Mexico with assistance from family, per FOX 4 News.
Tributes and reflections from the grieving families echo a common sentiment of unfairness and loss. Brenda Salinas, Xavier’s aunt, said, “It’s unfair and now we’re here in the cemetery where we shouldn’t have been in the first place. He was the life of the party in the family and now we’re here.” Meanwhile, another mother, Reyna Macedonio, whose heart Noyola's death weighs heavy upon, lamented the pain of losing a child, "I carry that pain in my heart," as she planned to visit her son's resting place that evening, as per NBC DFW.
The Garland Police are steadfast in their appeal for public assistance to bring Acosta to justice. They urge anyone with information to reach out to Garland Crime Stoppers at 972-272-8477.
