No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveMurder trial against U.S. woman underway

Murder trial against U.S. woman underway

The murder trial of U.S. citizen Ann Patton began Monday in the Southern Zone canton of Pérez Zeledón. Prosecutors allege the woman murdered her husband, John Bender, in order to steal millions of dollars worth of fine jewels.

Bender was found shot in the head on Jan. 8, 2010, at the couple’s luxury home south of Costa Rica’s capital, Noticias Repretel reported.

On Monday, Patton delivered an opening statement at the start of the four-day trial, which will include the testimony of 25 witnesses.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Faces a Proposed 12.5 Percent US Tariff

Costa Rica is among 60 economies that the United States has targeted for new tariffs tied to a federal investigation into forced labor in...

Archaeologists Exhume Nearly 3,000-Year-Old Remains Near San Salvador

Archaeologists exhumed human remains estimated to be nearly 3,000 years old on the outskirts of San Salvador, the Ministry of Culture said in a...

Costa Rica Hospitals Cancel Surgeries Amid Specialist Shortage

More than 199,000 patients were waiting for surgery in Costa Rica’s public healthcare system at the end of 2025 as a severe shortage of...

Costa Rica Posts Record First Half for Tourism Even as June Arrivals Dip

Costa Rica welcomed more visitors by air in the first half of 2026 than in any comparable period on record, even as June delivered...

US Airlines Can Hide Bag Fees Again on Costa Rica Routes

The next time you search for a flight to San José or Liberia on a US airline, you'll see a base fare and not...

Costa Rica’s Waldorf Astoria Named to Forbes List of Five Vacation-Worthy Resorts

Costa Rica's Waldorf Astoria Punta Cacique has landed on a short Forbes list of luxury properties the magazine says are worth building an entire...

Panama Bill Would Require Influencers to Disclose Paid Posts

Panama’s National Assembly is considering a bill that would require social media influencers and content creators to clearly identify when their posts are paid...

Costa Rica’s Reopens Highway After Landslide Closure

Route 32 reopened Friday afternoon after falling debris blocked the highway through Braulio Carrillo National Park for more than six hours, disrupting travel between...

Costa Rica 911 App Can Locate Users Who Cannot Speak During Emergencies

Costa Rica’s emergency services are urging residents and visitors to download the official 911 application before the August 2 Romería, highlighting features that can...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
🌴 The Weekly Pura Vida

Costa Rica, Once a Week

The week's top stories, weather & insider tips — delivered every Sunday. One email, zero clutter.

🔒 Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel