The disappearance of American tourist Carla Stefaniak in Costa Rica – and the grim discovery of a body in the backyard of her AirBnB – is shedding light on the growing violence in the Central American country, which had long been considered safe. Privacy Notice Officials from the Judicial Investigation Agency (Organismo de Investigación Judicial) project that 2018 will break 2017’s record with an estimated 625 homicides. Costa Rica has garnered a reputation for being one of the safest countries in Central America, particularly for tourists. 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Costa Rica Security Guard Convicted in Tourist's Murder in Costa Rica Sentenced to Prison Published February 17, 2020 • Updated on February 17, 2020 at 10:37 pm C osta Rican authorities said Wednesday that the suspected murder of a 36-year-old American tourist was sexually motivated, and announced they had a suspect in custody. On Monday, the trial against Sancho Rodríguez started. Tourism is a critical part of the Costa Rican economy. The Advisory, issued on May 13, 2019, and still active today, is due to the increased potential for ‘crime̵… The family of a Florida woman found dead in Costa Rica believes that multiple people are responsible for her death. She had been visiting Costa Rica with her sister-in-law, April Burton, to celebrate her birthday. Costa Rica has lifted stay at home orders and resumed some transportation options and business operations. According to the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Travel & Tourism Office, Costa Rica ranked 15th among international destinations for Americans, with more than 1 million visiting in 2017. We've received your submission. That’s a 63% increase compared to 10 years ago. A dead body found in Costa Rica was identified on Tuesday as a missing Florida woman. It is one of few nations that have abolished their nation's armed forces. Costa Rica; Canadian Tourist Murdered, Multiple Stab Wounds Posted on March 9, 2017 • Filed under: Costa Rica , Tourist Attacked , Tourist Killed A Canadian teacher has been killed in what is believed to have been a violent robbery in Costa Rica. Tens of thousands of Nicaraguans live and work in neighbouring Costa Rica, which has a thriving tourist industry. Visit the Embassy's COVID-19 page for more information on COVID-19 in Costa Rica. As of August 18, Costa Rica had 29,643 cases of coronavirus, according to … Do Not Sell My Personal Information. You can unsubscribe at any time. Two unidentified female travelers were found dead near Tortuguero National Park in August. In October, the body of 62-year-old Vermont-native Thomas Cook was found in a shallow grave after he was being reported missing for weeks, Fox News reported. Her body was discovered in a shallow grave near the Airbnb where she was staying. And in October, authorities said that Tom Cook, a 62-year-old “hippie” from Vermont, was murdered in Jaco, a surf town in Costa Rica after he went missing for two months. Recently though, the murder rate in the country of 4.9 million has been on the rise, with a record-high of 603 people killed in 2017, Bloomberg reported. While petty theft is the main problem, armed robberies have been known to occur even in broad daylight. While officials have not stated a reason for the decline in American tourism, it comes as there is a spike in crime in the country. The remains of Carla Stefaniak, 36, were discovered near … Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. In August Costa Rica was in the spotlight when two female tourists were killed within a week. January 4, 2019 | 4:14pm | Updated January 4, 2019 | 4:54pm. Terms of Use Over the summer, a 19-year-old Canadian tourist was robbed and raped after a local tried to offer her a ride from San Jose to Puerto Viejo, reports The Costa Rica Star. Cook had retired and was living in a small town outside of San Jose. Meanwhile, local authorities said the killing was sexually motivated. Costa Rica has lifted stay at home orders and resumed some transportation options and business operations Horvath... Of cultural and natural attractions will find both in the spotlight when two female tourists were in... Have been known to occur even in broad daylight work ” to address the.! Her body was discovered in a shallow grave near the Airbnb listing has been shared 61,525.... 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