Costa Rican authorities confirmed the identity of Iván Horacio Jackson Núñez as the second victim of the triple homicide that occurred on Saturday morning in San Mateo de Alajuela.
The Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) continues its work to fully identify the third person who died in the case.
Jackson, fifty-two years old, disappeared on March 27, 2026, in the province of Puntarenas. His family reported the disappearance to the OIJ one day later. According to information from CRHoy, Jackson was a tourism entrepreneur in Limón, owned a farm in that province, and also rented construction equipment.
In this case, the authorities have confirmed the identity of two victims: one with the last name Castro and another Jackson. The third deceased person has not yet been officially identified.
Vladimir Muñoz, acting deputy director of the OIJ, explained to the local media that the procedure requires the verification of details to ensure certainty in the identity.
Central Noticias CR reported on Sunday that the first of the victims would be
Andrey Castro Bonilla, president of the Municipal Sports Association Puntarenas, a team belonging to the Second Division B of the National Amateur Football League (Linafa). Castro owned a restaurant, an outlet, and a gym in downtown Puntarenas.
A message of mourning was published on the Facebook page of the municipal team
Puntarenas, confirming the death of a team member, without giving further details.
A Controversial Case
The discovery of
three bodies tied up and with plastic bags on their heads next to an overturned vehicle last Saturday caused shock in the town of
San Mateo, Alajuela, local media reported.
Costa Rican authorities are investigating the incident as a presumed triple homicide, after the scene was discovered on a slope in the area of
Desmonte, in the well-known Monte del Aguacate.
The case began after an alert to the 911 system, which initially reported the overturning of a car. When the
Public Force arrived at the scene, they found a situation different from that of a traffic accident.
The three men were found lifeless, bound at the hands and feet with black plastic ties and with plastic bags covering their heads. The vehicle involved, a
gray Toyota Hilux, was overturned in the area.
According to police reports, the bodies remained next to the car and showed clear signs of having been subdued and covered with tape and plastic bags.
Red Cross paramedics confirmed at the scene the absence of vital signs in any of the men; this information was later corroborated by agents of the
Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ), who transferred the remains to the morgue for autopsy.
Findings During the Investigation
During the early hours of the Sunday following the crime, the judicial police raided a fishing boat dock in Puntarenas, owned by Castro. In that operation, the agents found
AK-47, M4, and AR-15 type long guns, along with ammunition. Drugs were also seized, which strengthens the hypothesis that the event could be linked to a settling of scores related to drug trafficking.
The investigation into the triple homicide in San Mateo de Alajuela focuses on determining the motives and possible links between the victims. The OIJ is investigating whether there is a connection between the businesses of the deceased and organized crime activities, due to the discovery of weapons and narcotics in properties associated with the victims.
The authorities reported that the cause of the crime has not yet been clarified. There is concern in the region, as the case involves well-known businessmen in the sports, tourism, and construction sectors.
The judicial file remains open and the authorities are managing several lines of investigation. The identification of the third victim and the analysis of the evidence obtained in the raids will be decisive for the next advances.
