Founder of San Antonio’s Las Palapas restaurants stabbed to death inside home, according to reports

Edward “Ron” Acosta, the founder of San Antonio-based Mexican restaurant chain Las Palapas, was fatally stabbed Tuesday by a family member at his Stone Oak-area residence, KSAT reports, citing people familiar with the investigation.  

In statement obtained by the Current, San Antonio Police Department officials said they found a 78-year-old man Tuesday at a home on the 19200 block of Reata Trail outside Loop 1604. A suspect allegedly stabbed the man multiple times, leaving him to bleed out while lying in the garage, according to details shared by police.

Authorities stopped the suspect in Kimble County northwest of San Antonio as he traveled westbound in a vehicle on I-10, according to SAPD’s statement. At the time of the statement, homicide detectives were working on an arrest warrant to send to Kimble County, department officials also said.

During an afternoon news conference, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the department is investigating a “high-profile” murder, KSAT reports. Without identifying the victim, McManus said the man and a family member were involved in an argument that may have led to the stabbing.

Public records show Acosta owns the home where the homicide happened and is the same age as the victim, KSAT reports.

Acosta founded the Las Palapas chain in 1981 and built it into multiple locations based on a menu focused on Tex-Mex standbys such as enchiladas, breakfast tacos and mega-sized burritos. New owner Wayne Detmar bought a majority stake in the business in 2020 and accelerated its expansion, according to the San Antonio Business Journal.

Las Palapas now operates more than 20 locations, primarily in San Antonio and Central Texas. Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

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This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 9, 2025.