By Wendy Anders

At around midnight on Saturday police captured another suspect linked to Playas del Coco mob killing of an Escazú college student who was vacationing in the Guanacaste beach town during Holy Week in late March of this year.

The suspect is a 33-year-old man named Ortiz, also known as “The Beast.” There was a warrant out for his arrest for colluding in the brutal beating and stabbing of 22-year-old Alejo Leiva Lachner.

According to police reports, the suspect apparently heads up a criminal group dedicated to distributing illegal drugs among Guanacaste’s coastal towns.

Ortiz was arrested in Villareal, Tamarindo a district in the county of Santa Cruz, Guanacaste. He had a gun in his possession at the time of his arrest.

This is the fifth suspect to be arrested in connection with the Leiva murder, said police sources.

As reported in The Costa Rica Star at the time of Leiva’s killing,

“Alejo Leiva Lachner was killed on Saturday, March 26th after being attacked by at least 20 individuals on the main commercial street of Playas del Coco. Leiva Lachner was brutally beaten by the group of men before being stabbed in the chest, after having a dispute with a local unlicensed taxi driver. He died as a result of the stab wound, and the killing sparked national outcry.

“According to authorities and eyewitnesses, the dispute began after the deceased allegedly hit the driver’s vehicle with his fist or a small object after the driver apparently backed into a pedestrian and companion of Leiva’s while backing his vehicle out of the parking area in front of The Lizard Lounge, a popular bar on the main commercial street in Playas del Coco.

“The driver later returned accompanied by at least 20 other men who subsequently beat and stabbed Leiva in the middle of the street in the presence of many witnesses and onlookers, many of whom were also on vacation for the Holy Week holidays.

“On April 1st, OIJ officers along with SWAT officers from the Special Tactical Response Service (SERT) conducted a series of raids in the beach community and arrested five suspects in the case.

“One of the suspects arrested was the unlicensed taxi driver involved in the incident, authorities said at the time.

The OIJ continues to search for at least three other suspects in the case.”

** This article incorrectly stated that this was Ortiz’ fifth murder. Police stated that Ortiz was the fifth suspect caught in this mob killing. **