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Published Thursday, March 5, 2020
Police seize drugs, money and
weaponsin probe of U.S. citizen's murder By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Gang members implicated in the murder of a U.S. citizen are being investigated for two more killings, judicial police disclosed Wednesday. The gang was the target of 25 raided carried out by a massive force of judicial agents and police in the provinces of Limón, San José and Alajuela. Agents of the Judicial Investigation Organization said they arrested 13 persons linked to the 2018 murder of the U.S. citizen, identified as Thomas J. Cook. According to the report of the agents, raids were made in communities such as Puerto Viejo, Cieneguita, Matina, Batán, Siquirres and Guápiles in addition to those made in San José and Alajuela. The police action was the subject of an A.M. Costa Rica special report Wednesday afternoon. According to the investigation, in 2018 Cook had begun a romantic relationship with a woman, surnamed Hurtado-Palma. It is precisely this woman, Hurtado-Palma, also had a romantic relationship with a man surnamed named Campos-Vaciana, said the agents. Campos-Vaciana allegedly is the leader of a gang of at least 20 who also are suspects of the Cook killing, judicial agents said. By Wednesday evening, 13 people, men and women, already had been arrested. Also, five boats, several firearms, cash and drugs have been seized, according to agents. Agents said that Campos-Vaciana is responsible for coordinating the operation of sale and distribution of drugs, specifically cocaine and marijuana, in Limón. In addition to Cook's murder, the gang is being investigated for two other homicides. One is of a man surnamed García-Aguilar, in February 2019. Also the same year, another murder was of a man surnamed Wilson-Matarrita.  The suspects detained on Wednesday were taken to the cells of the Public Ministry where they were interrogated by the judicial agents, and after that, they must wait until a judge orders pre-trial measures against them. Cook was reported missing in August 2018. He was last seen near Jacó Beach on the Pacific Coast. Investigators responded to an emergency call in October 2018, regarding a body that had been found half-buried on a large property in Siquirres, Limón, on the Atlantic Coast. According to the report of the Siquirres police office, the body that was located on Oct. 1 in the sector of Palmiras was in a state of putrefaction and buried in a paddock. "The body belongs to a male, who was wearing a blue shirt, a gray color short, girdle gray tennis shoes, plus an earring and fabric bracelet with the colors blue, white and red," said the police in its statement. After the forensics experts performed scientific tests, including DNA tests and checked dental records, they determined that the remains belonged to Cook. Cook was retiree, who had traveled to Costa Rica intending to live in the Jacó area, agents said. It emerged in the investigation that Cook and Hurtado-Palma had a romantic relationship. In 2018, Hurtado-Palma said in an interview that she had “nothing to do with the disappearance of Cook.” She also confirmed that she ”helped him find a house in a residential area in Jacó beach, where she signed as responsible for the rent, however, he (referring to Cook) was in charge of making the rent payments. " Investigators found that the rent agreement, where Cook lived, was made in her name. There are several indications that the motive for the crime was theft, said investigators, because they found several transactions in Cook's bank accounts. ----------------------- What advice would you give to retired foreign men to avoid being targeted by criminals? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
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