DALLAS — *Warning, some details in this report are considered graphic.*
Families braved testimony on Wednesday as the trial continued for the father of a suspected shooter in Garland. Families of those killed sat through autopsy reports, stating that it was important for them to be there.
Richard Acosta Jr. is charged with capital murder. He is accused of driving his son, Abel Acosta, to and from the scene of a triple murder on Dec. 26, 2021. The jury will decide if he is guilty or not guilty of knowingly aiding the crime.
Abel was 14 years old at the time and was named the shooter. He is still on the run.
Fourteen-year-old Xavier Gonzalez, 16-year-old Ivan Noyola, and 17-year-old Rafael Garcia were killed in the shooting. David Rodriguez was shot and survived. Now 16 years old, he was working at the Texaco Convenience Store.
Rodriguez testified briefly on Tuesday.
Family members of the victims have filled the courtroom all week.
Brenda Salinas, Gonzalez’s aunt, said she is overwhelmed and filled with sadness and anger.
“He is the parent,” she said. She believes Richard Acosta is just as responsible for the triple murder and should face the sentence of life without the possibility of parole.
Salinas described her nephew as “very caring, funny especially, and hard working.”
She said Gonzalez was close to his grandfather and was at the store to get food for him.
Mario Noyola, Ivan Noyola’s father, is furious. He said Acosta is guilty because he took his son to the store. He wants the maximum sentence for the defendant.
Noyola described his son as a hard-working, happy child who liked to have fun.
Much of Wednesday in court was testimony from Garland Police Department employees who worked the case.
Forensic investigators and detectives were questioned about the evidence they collected. Multiple shell casings, guns, clothing and more were among the items discussed.
A brief conversation at the police department was shown when Acosta turned himself in.
Two firearms examiners also testified on Wednesday. They talked about two weapons collected that did not match the shell casings from inside the convenience store.
After the lunch recess, Dr. Elizabeth Ventura was called to testify. She is the medical examiner who performed 17-year-old Rafael Garcia’s autopsy. His family left the room during this time.
Dr. Ventura said he was shot twice, including once in the heart. “He’d have, I’d say, seconds to live,” she said. The second shot pierced a lung.
Dr. Stephen Hastings followed. He performed the autopsy on 16-year-old Ivan Noyola. He said the child was shot four times. There was damage to his lungs.
“Losing consciousness, we’re talking seconds to minutes, so, pretty quickly here.”
Dr. Daniel Butler, who did the autopsy for Xavier Gonzalez testified on Tuesday.
He said Gonzalez was shot ten times and likely died within two to three minutes.
Gonzalez’s sister said she had hoped it was quick. This was the first time she learned how many times her brother was shot. Watching the surveillance footage of the shooting was extremely tough for the family.
When the state rests, the defense will make its case and likely call Acosta to testify.
A reward is being offered for the arrest of Abel Acosta.
Anyone with information regarding the teen's whereabouts is encouraged to call police at 972-485-4869.