Is Costa Rica’s Violent Crime Outpacing the OIJ Investigative Police

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The body of American Stephen Paul Sandusky (61) was found on Monday, on his farm Llano Bonito de Buenos Aires, in Puntarenas. His head was missing, his torso and lower body were burned beyond recognition, his arms were still whole. Five Costa Rican citizens were also found dead on the property, three had been shot in the head, all had gunshot wounds, and all but one was burned. The fifth had been doused with chemical accelerant, but not yet torched. The Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) is investigating this as a robbery gone amiss. Is the OIJ ready to deal with escalating violent crimes in Costa Rica?
As The Star reported yesterday, five Costa Rican citizens were murdered on Sunday, two women, three men, and the American. The Ticos had gone to Sandusky’s property on Sunday to have a picnic while Cesar Quesada repaired a piece of Sandusky’s farm machinery. Accompanying Quesada were his wife, Villarevia Rivera (41), their son, Quesada Villarevia (20), and a couple of their friends, Zuniga Rodriguez (40), and Borbon Munoz (39). All were from Perez Zeledon. The murders apparently occurred on Sunday, but were not discovered until Monday, when a family member of the Quesada couple became concerned they could not reach the Quesadas, and drove out to the farm where they discovered the horrible carnage.

Sandusky was a legal resident of Costa Rica, who had lived in the country for 35 years. His property was for sale for 1.8 million dollars, and he was planning to return to the US to rejoin his two sons. He had converted the Llano Bonito farm into a successful cattle and coffee farm, but now wanted to divest and return to his family stateside. He had sold a restaurant in Dominical in 2004. He was accused by his employees of not paying benefits and severance pay, but he claimed he fired them for theft and did not need to pay them as a result.

His most punishing Costa Rican experience, prior to his murder, was his involvement with the financial investment scam known as “The Brothers”, where Sandusky and 6,200 investors were scammed by two Ticos running a phony investment operation that was really a Ponzi scheme. It is unclear how much Sandusky lost in this scam.

In 2006, the security guard/caretaker of Sandusky’s property was found shot to death. His murder was never solved. Sandusky viewed this as his signal to leave the country, and following some other break-ins on his finca, he decided to put Llano Bonito up for sale. The property includes several 4×4 vehicles, and other farm machinery and equipment. It is in a desolate part of Puntarenas, with only 4×4 road access. It seems that is how Sandusky preferred to live – in isolation. He was divorced.
The bodies of the deceased are now in the morgue, pending forensic analysis. There are no known suspects yet for these tragic murders. Although the OIJ is treating this crime as a theft gone wrong, people with experience in the narco-trafficking world of Puntarenas think the violence and carnage of the crime scene indicate that it was perhaps another sort of crime. There was possible torture of the victims prior to their deaths, and shooting then burning of the bodies seems like a case of overkill.
The Star will continue to follow this tragic loss of life, and sends condolences to the families of all six victims. May they rest in peace. May their killers be found and punished

About the Author :

Carol Blair Vaughn has written for Inside Costa Rica and The Costa Rica Star, as well as El
Residente magazine. She grew up in Latin America, traveling with her father Jack Vaughn,
former Assistant Secretary of State for Latin American Affairs, and US Ambassador to Panama
and Colombia. The Star published her book Crazy Jungle Love: Murder, Madness, Money & Monkeys
in 2017, and it is now available for purchase on Amazon as both a paperback and an
ebook.’
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