Samuel Acosta

Samuel Acosta, known as a selfless and great father with a love for horses, was a cherished member of his family and community. Born on January 5, 1990, in Perryton, Texas, the 30-year-old Hispanic man was married to his wife, Ana Rosa Rosales, and was a loving father to their five children. Friends remembered him as a protective and loving person who would do anything to see someone smile. A member of the Victory Family Church, Samuel was known for his passion for helping others. His life, full of promise and dedication to his family, was tragically cut short in the summer of 2020.

In the early morning hours of Sunday, July 26, 2020, the Amarillo Police Department was dispatched to a residence in the 1700 block of Buntin Street, near Darden Street, following reports of a shooting. At approximately 1:44 a.m., officers arrived to find Samuel Acosta suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound to his upper body. He was immediately transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment. Despite the efforts of medical staff, Samuel succumbed to his injuries three days later, on July 29, 2020.

The Amarillo Police Department’s Homicide Unit launched an investigation into the shooting. Detectives quickly identified a suspect and initially obtained a warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. After Samuel’s death, the charge was upgraded, and a murder warrant was issued for 36-year-old Jeremiah Jay Reyna. Police described Reyna as a 5-foot-6-inch, 160-pound Hispanic male with black hair and brown eyes. He was believed to be driving a grey or pewter-colored 2000 GMC Sierra pickup truck with Texas license plates.

Authorities released Reyna's photo and vehicle information to the public, asking for assistance in locating him. Amarillo Crime Stoppers offered a reward for information leading to his arrest, which was later increased to $500 to generate more tips. The search for Reyna extended beyond Amarillo, and the public’s help proved to be crucial in his capture.

On Tuesday, August 11, 2020, the manhunt for Jeremiah Jay Reyna came to an end. Acting on a Crime Stoppers tip, detectives with the Victoria Police Department in Victoria, Texas, located Reyna at a home in the 400 block of Knowlan Avenue. At 11:06 p.m., the Victoria police SWAT team executed a search warrant at the residence and arrested Reyna without incident. He was taken into custody on the Potter County murder warrant, as well as warrants for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and a parole violation.

Following his arrest, Reyna was booked into the Victoria County Jail before being transferred back to Potter County to face the charges against him. Court records from August 2020 show he was held on a $300,000 bond for the first-degree felony murder charge. As of the latest available public records from August 2022, the case against Jeremiah Jay Reyna for the murder of Samuel Acosta was still pending disposition in the Potter County court system.

Samuel Acosta was laid to rest on August 8, 2020, at Ochiltree Cemetery. His family, including his parents, wife, children, and siblings, mourned the profound loss of a man described as the heart of their family. While an arrest has been made, the final resolution of the criminal case remains to be seen, leaving his loved ones waiting for the judicial process to conclude. Anyone with information about the case was previously urged to contact the Amarillo Police Department or Amarillo Crime Stoppers.