Authorities are searching for a missing U.S. citizen identified as Warren Francis Vogt, according to the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ).

Officials said the 75-year-old man was reported missing on Saturday, March 14. He was last seen a few days earlier, on Wednesday, March 11, in a public area near Nosara Beach in the canton of Nicoya, in Guanacaste Province.

Although the missing-person report was filed on Saturday, authorities did not immediately make the case public. Officials said such delays are not unusual, as investigators often try to develop initial leads before requesting assistance from the public. Those early efforts produced limited results, prompting authorities to release information about the case.

According to the investigation, Vogt left his home on Wednesday in a silver Toyota 4x4 to run errands near Nosara Beach. After he failed to return home, his family filed a missing-person report.

Authorities said Vogt’s vehicle was found Sunday, March 15, after it apparently fell into a ditch in a mountainous area of Nicoya canton.

Investigators reported that the vehicle had several scratches and dents, and part of the bumper was detached, leading them to consider the possibility of a traffic accident.

However, investigators said Vogt was not inside the vehicle, and no traces of him were found near the site.

Additional details about the case have not been disclosed due to the ongoing investigation. Authorities said only Vogt’s immediate family members may request further information.


The OIJ is asking anyone with information that could help locate Vogt to come forward. Tips can be submitted confidentially through the agency’s 10-digit hotline at 800-8000-645 or via WhatsApp at 8800-0645.


According to the U.S. Embassy, its personnel assist in locating U.S. citizens overseas when relatives or friends are concerned about their welfare or need to notify them of emergencies at home.

The U.S. Department of State and U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide handle more than 200,000 welfare and whereabouts inquiries each year, according to information published on the embassy’s website.

Individuals seeking assistance in locating a U.S. citizen abroad are encouraged to provide as much information as possible, including the caller’s full name, address, phone number and relationship to the individual; the name of the person abroad; date and place of birth; passport number, if known; last known address and phone number; reason for travel or residence abroad; travel itinerary; date of last contact; and other points of contact, such as friends, business associates or hotels.

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica assists in person at its facilities in Pavas, San José. Assistance is also available by email at ACSSanJose@state.gov or by phone at +(506) 2519-2000.

The OIJ, a branch of Costa Rica’s Supreme Court of Justice, is responsible for conducting criminal investigations nationwide.

A.M. Costa Rica encouraged readers to share the missing-person alert within their networks.

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