Body found floating in Tempisque River, apparently mutilated by crocodile

A corpse missing an arm and showing signs of laceration on several parts of the body was discovered floating in the Tempisque River near Filadelfia, Guanacaste. The body apparently had been mutilated by a crocodile, according to a statement by the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ).

The Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ), however, have not commented on the cause of death or how the body ended up in the river, which empties into the Gulf of Nicoya. The body has been taken to a forensics laboratory in Heredia to determine an official cause of death.

According to the statement, officers from the Santa Cruz OIJ office had to scare off at least four crocodiles before they could safely remove the body from the river.

OIJ said that the man appeared to be between 55 and 65 years old and of small stature. Authorities added that he appeared to have died 24 to 36 hours ago.

The body was discovered within two weeks of a another gruesome crocodile attack. American crocodiles killed and ate Nicaraguan Omar de Jesús Jirón after he attempted to swim in the Tarcoles River on April 29. Days later, Jirón’s head was seen floating in the river.