FBI Adds $50,000 Bounty to One of Texas’ Most Wanted

Texas is vast, and when tragedy strikes, those responsible can slip quietly into the shadows. Right now, the federal government is looking for a fugitive who caused the death of three teenagers and then slipped away. Years later, authorities want to bring him to justice. The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of this most-wanted criminal

Garland, Texas, Convenience Store Shooting That Killed Three Teens

Abel Elias Acosta is one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives in Texas. On December 26, 2021, the Garland Police responded to a call at a local convenience store. Upon arrival, the officers found three juveniles, ages 14, 16, and 17, dead, and a fourth critically injured.

Investigators identified the shooter as 14-year-old Abel Acosta. After the murders, Acosta vanished without a trace. On December 17, 2025, Dallas County issued a warrant charging him with capital murder of multiple persons.

Texas Fugitive Believed to Be in Mexico After 2021 Murders

After disappearing, authorities say Acosta fled to Mexico, where he may still be hiding.

On January 26, 2026, a federal arrest warrant was issued in the Northern District of Texas for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

Who Is Abel Elias Acosta? Texas Murder Suspect Profile

Acosta is described as a Hispanic male, born on November 12, 2007, in Garland, Texas. He has brown eyes and black hair. At the time of the shooting, he was 5'3" and 120 pounds. He is now 18 and should be considered armed and dangerous. The FBI has released an updated image of what he may look like today.

Acosta is considered armed and dangerous.

How to Submit Tips to the FBI About Abel Acosta

If you have information about Abel Acosta, call the FBI at 1-800-225-5324, the Dallas Field Office at 972-559-5000, or submit an online tip at tips.fbi.gov.  All tips can remain anonymous, and confidentiality is guaranteed.

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. -Jeff Bryan, Chief of the Garland Police Department

Think of how many times you stepped into a convenience store as a teenager for drinks and snacks. These victims were doing the same, until another boy their age ended their lives tragically.