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Two Costa Rican nationals, a woman identified by the surname Medina (left) and a man identified by the surname Grijalva (right) wanted in connection with separate criminal cases were deported from the United States. Photo courtesy of the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ).

U.S. Deports Two Costa Ricans Wanted In Homicide And Fraud Cases

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Published on Monday, November 2, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Two Costa Rican nationals wanted in connection with separate criminal cases were deported from the United States and taken into custody by Costa Rican judicial authorities following coordination between Interpol and the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ), the OIJ reported.

The first deportee was a 63-year-old woman identified by the surname Medina, who has faced criminal charges since December 2016. She is accused of using forged legal documents to take possession of properties and withdraw money from the bank accounts of a U.S. citizen.

According to the allegations, Medina falsified documents to gain control of the victim's properties and funds. However, she fled during the final stage of the trial.

Authorities did not disclose the victim's identity, citing privacy protections.

With Interpol's assistance, OIJ agents conducted an investigation that led them to locate Medina in Hampton Bays, in the U.S. State of New York.

According to the OIJ, she was found in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after being discovered living illegally in the United States.

Medina was deported Friday and taken into custody by OIJ agents at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Alajuela Province.

The second Costa Rican deportee was a 54-year-old man identified by the surname Grijalva, who was also in ICE custody, the OIJ reported.

According to a report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, specifically its Chicago office, which also handles security cases in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, Grijalva was convicted of a traffic offense in the U.S. State of Indiana in 2024.

ICE arrested him and placed him in custody because he was considered an undocumented immigrant and had an international fugitive notice issued in connection with a homicide investigation.

Grijalva has an active arrest warrant in Costa Rica, where he is a suspect in a homicide that occurred in April 2016 in Sarapiquí Canton, Heredia Province, the OIJ reported.

The investigation indicated that Grijalva had allegedly left Costa Rica for the United States. Judicial agents subsequently coordinated with the investigations unit of the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica, as well as the FBI and ICE, to establish his whereabouts.

Grijalva was also deported Friday and taken into custody by OIJ agents at the country's main international airport in Alajuela Province.

Medina and Grijalva were transferred to the offices of the Public Prosecutor's Office in San José, where a judge will determine the pretrial measures applicable to them as suspects in the respective criminal cases.

The extradition treaty between the United States and Costa Rica has been in effect since 1982, according to the U.S. Congress.

The OIJ is urging the public to report anyone who may be wanted under an international arrest warrant. Confidential information can be provided through its toll-free 10-digit hotline at 800-8000-645 or its quick-response line at 11-76. Bilingual agents are available to assist callers in English and Spanish.

As Costa Rica's criminal investigative agency operating under the Supreme Court of Justice, the OIJ has nationwide police authority and conducts criminal investigations throughout the country.

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What have you heard about Costa Ricans being arrested by ICE in the United States? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com

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