A 32-year-old Costa Rican manallegedly went on a door-to-door shootingrampage with an AK-47 late Sunday night,killing five people, including threewomen, before committing suicide in thePacific coast town of Paquera.Police believe the suspect, identified asDouglas Araya, was driven by pressures hefelt because he was under investigation forhis ties to an alleged drug deal gone awryand accusations he had failed to pay childsupport.Araya allegedly began the killing spreeat 11 p.m. when he arrived at the home of22-year-old Daris Jiménez, who had filed acomplaint against Araya for failure to paychild support, according to the JudicialInvestigation Police (OIJ). Jiménez wasshot twice, once in the back of the head,OIJ spokeswoman Margarita Morales said.THE suspect then allegedly went tothe home of Geovanni Oporto, 34, andPatricia Ruiz, 27, who had also startedjudicial procedures to collect child support.Oporto was shot in the head and Ruizwas shot in the back. Both died instantly,Morales said.The motivation behind the final twokillings is less clear, according to policeinvestigators. After shooting Ruiz andOporto, Araya allegedly went to the home of49-year-old Rosario Céspedes, known asSocorro, and 48-year-old Blanca Madrigal.Araya called for Céspedes to exit his house,allegedly concerning an issue related to anearlier crime, Al Día reported.ARAYA, a taxi driver, was beinginvestigated for his involvement in anassault approximately one month ago,according to police. A man with the lastname of Thomas was shot Dec. 16 at PlayaPájaros in what Thomas later said was arobbery. Police believe the shootingoccurred in a frustrated drug deal in whichthe buyer – allegedly Thomas – did nothave enough money to make the purchase,Al Día reported. Thomas denies he waspurchasing drugs.Police interviewed Araya Dec. 22regarding his suspected involvement inthe incident. Security Minister RogelioRamos confirmed to the daily that Arayacalled the OIJ Dec. 31 and said he had theAK-47 used in the Dec. 16 incident andwanted to turn it in Jan. 1.OFFICIALS are investigatingwhether the gun used in the Decemberincident is the same used by Araya in themurders Sunday night.When Céspedes did not exit his houseSunday night, Araya allegedly entered andshot him. Céspedes later died in aPuntarenas hospital. Madrigal entered theconflict and was shot as well. She diedinstantly, police said.After the rampage, shortly after midnight,Araya returned to a bar where he hadbeen earlier. There he also opened fire,injuring a man.Araya then fled and was found hourslater by police hanging from a treebranch, killed by a self-inflicted shot tothe head.Araya left two suicide letters, Moralessaid, one to the OIJ in which he describedhis involvement in the Dec. 16 assault, andone to a family member in which heexplained how he would like his propertydistributed among his children.
