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Published on Tuesday, April 14, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A
61-year-old U.S. citizen pleaded guilty
Monday to killing his wife and their
unborn child in Costa Rica, Prosecutor’s
Office announced.
According
to the authorities, the man, identified by
the last name Moriondo, admitted to the
murder of his wife, 20-year-old Costa
Rican national Centeno-Murillo, during a
hearing at the
Criminal Court in San Ramón, in
Alajuela province.
By
entering a guilty plea, Moriondo will face
an abbreviated legal process, avoiding a
lengthy trial. Prosecutors said the
agreement could result in a 25-year prison
sentence, following negotiations with the
San Ramón Prosecutor’s Office and the
attorney representing the victim’s family.
An autopsy determined that Centeno died of asphyxiation caused by a plastic bag. Authorities said her body also showed multiple injuries. She was four months pregnant at the time of her death, and the killing also resulted in the death of the couple’s unborn child.
Moriondo
and Centeno were married in October 2023.
She was 18 years old at the time, and he
was 57.
The
case began in January 2025, when Centeno’s
mother reported her missing. Relatives who
went to the couple’s home in the Santiago
District of
San Ramón canton said Moriondo told them
he did not know where his wife was.
Police arrested
Moriondo shortly afterward on
suspicion of murder.
Hours later, investigators from the
Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ),
assisted by canine units, found Centeno’s
body in a wooded area near the La
Granja community in
Palmares canton, also in Alajuela
province.
The
Alajuela court is expected to issue a
formal sentence in the coming days.
According
to the U.S. Embassy, American citizens
arrested abroad are
entitled to
consular assistance. After notification by
local authorities, a consular officer
typically visits detainees to check on
their well-being, review the circumstances
of their arrest and provide information
about legal procedures, including a list
of attorneys.
Consular
officials may also notify family or
friends, facilitate the transfer of funds
for legal or living expenses, and act as
liaisons with relatives upon request.
However, the embassy noted that consular officers cannot act as attorneys, provide legal representation or influence the release of detained U.S. citizens.
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