Left: David Ruiz (Kimble County Sheriff’s Office). Right: Edward ‘Ron’ Acosta (Las Palapas Restaurants).
A 39-year-old man traveled from California to Texas and murdered his uncle who founded a popular chain of Mexican restaurants, according to police.
Police report that David Ruiz killed 78-year-old Edward “Ronnie” Acosta by stabbing him at his luxurious residence in San Antonio on Tuesday. As a result, Ruiz is now charged with murder.
Acosta was the founder of the Las Palapas restaurant chain, which originated in 1981 as a modest 60-seat establishment in the Alamo City and has since grown across Texas.
The San Antonio Express-News interviewed Ruiz’s father, who revealed that his son was undergoing a mental health crisis and might have been using methamphetamine.
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“I thought I was going to lose him to suicide,” James Ruiz, who is married to Acosta’s sister, told the Express-News. “I never thought he’d hurt someone else — especially not Ronnie. He just completely snapped.”
The elder Ruiz said his son set out from California to San Antonio on Sunday. Acosta invited him to stay at his home.
Citing an affidavit, local ABC affiliate KSAT reported there was some sort of altercation that led to the stabbing early Tuesday morning. Acosta’s housekeeper reportedly witnessed the stabbing and called 911. There was “blood all around him,” the housekeeper reportedly told cops. David Ruiz allegedly stabbed his uncle multiple times, and Acosta “bled out while lying in the garage,” according to police.
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The suspect fled the scene but was later arrested some 100 miles away in Junction. According to the Kimble County Sheriff’s Office, San Antonio cops alerted them of Ruiz driving west on Interstate 10. Deputies spotted the suspect vehicle near a truck stop and conducted a traffic stop, after which they took Ruiz into custody without incident.
James Ruiz told the Express-News that when he learned that his son had allegedly killed Acosta, he texted him and urged him to turn himself into police. His son reportedly asked why.
“David, you killed Ronnie,” James Ruiz reportedly texted.
David Ruiz called his dad “crazy,” per the Express-News. He is awaiting extradition back to Bexar County.
Acosta had sold his majority stake in the Las Palapas restaurant chain in 2020. The company paid tribute to Acosta on its Facebook page.
“Ron was a man of deep faith, a generous spirit, and a true community leader,” the post said. “His warmth, vision, and work ethic left an undeniable mark on San Antonio. Many knew him as the founder of Las Palapas, but those closest to him knew him as a kind, God-fearing man who believed in serving others, whether through food, friendship, or faith.”
