“We are grateful to those who continue to pour in support and love, and we will continue to hold onto every positive memory we have of our father.”
SAN ANTONIO — A week after Ron Acosta, the founder of the Las Palapas restaurant chain, was allegedly stabbed to death by his nephew, his family has released a statement regarding his untimely death.
On July 1, 39-year-old David Ruiz was invited to stay at Acosta’s Stone Oak home before he killed the Las Palapas founder and fled the county, according to arrest records.
Ruiz was stopped and arrested on a Kimble County highway, authorities said. It’s believed the suspect, who is from the Los Angeles area, was trying to leave Texas. Authorities said he was arrested without incident. Police confirmed that Ruiz is the nephew of Acosta.
He was extradited back to Bexar County on a $250,000 bond, according to jail records.
Now KENS 5 is hearing directly from Acosta’s family for the first time. They said they were “devastated” by his murder, calling Acosta a “respected and prominent member” of the San Antonio community.
The family also, in their statement, blasted what they called “the failures” of legal system after Ruiz was given a $250,000 bond.
The full statement is below:
“As the family of Ron Acosta, we are devastated by the recent events. Our father was a respected and prominent member of this community — a man who dedicated his life to giving back and helping others.
“We are outraged by the failures of the legal system in Bexar County, Texas, and are shocked that an individual from California could cross state lines, travel across the country to Texas, commit the brutal murder of our father, and then be granted release on bail set at an amount that does not reflect the severity of this crime or the profound loss we have suffered. Our leaders have the duty to protect it’s citizens to prevent a man who has proven he has lethal intent into our County with the intent to flee.
“For those who truly knew Ron — those who knew his generosity, integrity, and dedication to his family and community — we ask that you honor his memory by standing with us to let the legal system know we feel the bond amount was set too low to allow the community to be safe. We ask the public to stand with us as we seek the justice that Ron Acosta deserves. This decision to grant bail not only dishonors our father’s memory but also endangers our community and undermines justice. We demand accountability and call on the legal system to take immediate steps to correct this injustice.
“We are grieving the loss of our father and should not also have to fear for our safety or the safety of others at this time. We are grateful to those who continue to pour in support and love and we will continue to hold onto every positive memory we have of our father.”
According to jail records, Ruiz remains in the Bexar County jail on a $250,000 bond.
