COSTA RICA · SECURITY
Agents of Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ, the police arm of the judiciary) arrested two suspects on Thursday 12 November 2026 over the killing of Kurt Van Dyke. Van Dyke, a 66-year-old US surfer and owner of Hotel Puerto Viejo, was found dead in his home on Saturday 14 February 2026.
Key Facts
- Arrests A woman aged 31 and a man aged 34 were held in three raids near Guápiles, a town in Costa Rica’s Limón province.
- Case Prosecutors are investigating aggravated homicide (“homicidio calificado”) in Van Dyke’s death on 14 February 2026.
- Alleged motive OIJ deputy director Vladimir Muñoz says the attackers wanted the security codes (PINs) for bank cards linked to the hotel.
- Status Neither suspect had been charged by 12 November, and both are presumed innocent.
- Next The OIJ is still seeking two other men, and prosecutors decide on charges.
- Power Index Costa Rica ranks 9th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 35.5 points (November 2026 edition).
What Happened
OIJ officials said agents raided three homes in the Guápiles area on Thursday 12 November 2026. Press accounts name Roxana, Pocora and Astúa Pirie among the places raided, on Costa Rica’s Caribbean side.
Agents arrested a woman aged 31 and a man aged 34, and seized mobile phones and a vehicle used in the events. We are not naming the suspects, because neither has been charged.
Both were handed to prosecutors from the Public Ministry, the state prosecution service. It now decides whether to seek charges or precautionary measures.
The Killing in February
Van Dyke was found dead on Saturday 14 February 2026, Valentine’s Day, in his home in the Hone Creek area near Cahuita, in Talamanca canton. He lay under a bed with apparent stab wounds and signs of asphyxia.
Early accounts in February described a home-invasion robbery. The new OIJ account, set out below, changes that picture.
What the OIJ Alleges
OIJ deputy director Vladimir Muñoz said the preliminary findings show the attack was not a random robbery. He said the suspects allegedly planned it to obtain the security codes of bank cards linked to the hotel.
Muñoz said a man entered the home with two other men who have not been identified. He said they used violence to force Van Dyke to give up the card codes, and the OIJ suspects they tortured him while demanding them.
The woman had been in the home that morning and was first described as a survivor of the attack. Investigators now suspect she was involved in the attack.
Investigators also allege that the theft of her car was staged. The car was later found undamaged in the Atlantic region.
Who Was Kurt Van Dyke
Van Dyke grew up in Santa Cruz, California, and came to Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean coast in the 1980s. He was drawn by Salsa Brava, a famous surf wave off Puerto Viejo, and ran Hotel Puerto Viejo for decades, and locals knew him as “King”.
In Plain English
- OIJ: The Judicial Investigation Agency is the police arm of Costa Rica’s judiciary. It made the arrests on 12 November.
- Public Ministry: This is the state prosecution service. It decides whether to seek charges against the suspects.
- Precautionary measures: These are restrictions such as pretrial detention, meaning jail before a trial. Prosecutors may ask a judge to order them.
- Aggravated homicide: The Spanish term is “homicidio calificado”, the category of the investigation. No one has been formally charged under it yet.
Why It Matters
The case drew concern in February, when the Costa Rican Hotel Chamber (the hotel industry body) spoke of the region’s image. The new allegations describe a planned attack, not a random robbery, which changes how the case reads.
The suspects remain presumed innocent, and the allegations have not been tested in court. Charges, if any, would come only after prosecutors review the evidence the OIJ has gathered.
What to Watch Next
No court date is set in the information we have. The Public Ministry will decide the suspects’ legal status.
The OIJ is still seeking the two other men who entered the home. We have no dates for further arrests.
What It Means for You
Van Dyke was a US citizen from California, and many US surfers, travellers and expats visit Puerto Viejo and the Caribbean coast. Anyone with information can contact the OIJ.
Readers who follow Costa Rican justice can also read about a court ruling in the Portus case and the 70-year request in an activist attack trial. More is on our Costa Rica news page.
What Is Not Known
It is not yet known whether prosecutors will bring charges or what precautionary measures they will seek. Two other attackers are unidentified, and whether the allegations hold up in court is also unknown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Kurt Van Dyke?
He was a 66-year-old US surfer from Santa Cruz, California, who ran Hotel Puerto Viejo on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast for decades. He was found dead in his home near Cahuita on 14 February 2026.
Who has been arrested?
OIJ agents arrested a woman aged 31 and a man aged 34 on Thursday 12 November 2026 in raids near Guápiles. They are suspects, have not been charged and are presumed innocent.
What does the OIJ say happened?
Deputy director Vladimir Muñoz said the attack was planned to obtain the security codes of bank cards linked to the hotel, not a random robbery. These are allegations that a court has not tested.
Has anyone been charged?
Not as of 12 November 2026. The Public Ministry will decide whether to seek charges.
Sources: Statements by OIJ officials including deputy director Vladimir Muñoz, 12 November 2026; Costa Rica’s Public Ministry (prosecution service), case handed over 12 November 2026; statement by the Costa Rican Hotel Chamber, February 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error