SAN ANTONIO, TX – A well-known San Antonio restaurateur and the founder of the Las Palapas chain was killed in his upscale home early Tuesday, allegedly at the hands of his nephew, who traveled from California, police said.
Authorities identified the victim as 78-year-old Edward “Ronnie” Acosta, widely recognized for establishing the Las Palapas Mexican restaurant chain in 1981. Acosta’s nephew, David Ruiz, 39, was arrested after being accused of stabbing Acosta multiple times in the garage of his home on the city’s north side.
According to police, Ruiz made the journey from California to San Antonio over the weekend. Family members said Acosta had welcomed his nephew to stay at his residence. The visit ended in violence in the early hours of Tuesday morning, after what investigators described as an altercation between the two men.
A housekeeper in the home reportedly witnessed the stabbing and immediately called 911. Responding officers found Acosta with severe injuries; authorities said he died at the scene. The account provided to investigators describes significant blood loss resulting from multiple knife wounds.
Soon after the attack, Ruiz fled the property in a vehicle. Police coordinated with neighboring law enforcement agencies, and deputies with the Kimble County Sheriff’s Office located Ruiz about 100 miles away in Junction, Texas, along Interstate 10. Officers stopped Ruiz at a truck stop and detained him without incident.
Ruiz’s father, James Ruiz, told authorities that his son seemed to be in the throes of a mental health crisis before the incident and may have been using illicit substances. Relatives said there were concerns for David’s well-being prior to his making the trip to Texas, but they never imagined he would become violent.
The suspect is awaiting extradition back to Bexar County, where he is expected to face a murder charge.
Acosta sold his majority interest in the Las Palapas franchise in 2020, but remained a respected fixture in the local hospitality industry. The Las Palapas company expressed condolences on social media, remembering Acosta as a figure of faith, generosity, and vision who left a lasting impact on San Antonio’s restaurant scene.
The circumstances surrounding the deadly altercation remain under investigation. Meanwhile, friends, family, and longtime patrons are mourning the death of a man credited with shaping a beloved Texas restaurant tradition.