HomeCosta RicaMichigan fugitive John Saatio to be extradited Saturday

Michigan fugitive John Saatio to be extradited Saturday

After escaping from authorities on two separate occasions, U.S. fugitive John Wesley Saatio won’t have a third chance to run free in Costa Rica.

Costa Rican Security Minister Gustavo Mata announced that Saatio will be extradited Saturday when authorities will put him on a commercial flight out of Juan Santamaría International Airport accompanied by U.S. Marshals.

Saatio was recaptured Tuesday in Desamparados, south of San José, after escaping through a ventilation duct in the immigration detention center in Hatillo where he had been held since June 3.

The 35-year-old fugitive from Michigan was initially aprehended by police in the popular Central Pacific beach town of Jacó earlier this month on an order from Interpol. Saatio faces a lengthy prison sentence in the U.S. for charges of home invasion, destruction of police property, and violating probation.

He escaped last year while police were transporting him to jail after his arraignment in Houghton, Michigan.

Trending Now

Your Android Phone May Soon Warn You Before a Costa Rica Earthquake Hits

Google is expanding its Android earthquake alerts to more than 200 countries, and Costa Rica has been reported among them. Here is what to check on your phone, and what to use until the alerts switch on.

Costa Rica Weather Today Brings Dry Mornings and Stormy Pacific Afternoons

Expect a calmer morning, then afternoon storms in the Central Valley and Pacific, heaviest on the Central and South Pacific. Check Route 32 before you drive to the Caribbean.

El Niño Peak Expected in December With Record-Warm Pacific Waters, WMO Warns

El Niño has not peaked yet. The WMO expects it to keep strengthening until around December as Pacific waters head for record heat.

Costa Rica’s President Says US Government Already Operates on Costa Rican Soil

President Laura Fernández said U.S. government agencies already carry out operations on Costa Rican territory, describing them as the continuation of existing security arrangements...

Atenas launches Gallery Nights: a different artist every month, with the Central Valley as a backdrop

The series opens in November with Terry Eldridge, followed by John Taylor in December and Joanna Woskowicz in January Starting in November, Atenas will have...

Costa Rica Searches Guácimo Farm for the Bodies of 10 Missing People

Investigators searched seven homes on a Guácimo farm linked to the Coco Guácimo network after tips that at least 10 missing people may be buried there.

Some Liberia Hospital Patients Have Waited Nearly a Week in a Chair for a Bed

Patients at Guanacaste's main public hospital in Liberia say they have spent up to six days sleeping in emergency-room chairs while waiting for a bed.

Toys “R” Us Weighs Going It Alone in Costa Rica

The Panamanian company that holds the regional Toys "R" Us rights puts a Costa Rica store at about $300,000 and is weighing whether to franchise or run stores itself.

Costa Rica’s Brisa Hennessy Wins in Portugal and Jumps 20 Places Toward the 2027 World Tour

Costa Rican surfer Brisa Hennessy won the EDP Ericeira Pro with a late 7.50 wave, climbing from 24th to fourth in the Challenger Series standings with one event left.
Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

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