Costa Rican judicial police detained a woman early this morning in raids in Desamparados, just south of San José. The search continues for the main suspect in the killing of an American man at a beachfront condominium in Playas del Coco. Agents from the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) and others began searching two homes in San Miguel de Desamparados at about 5 a.m. The investigation describes the detained woman as a companion of the main suspect and the driver of a vehicle the suspect used.
The main suspect remained at large Friday morning and authorities have not released the name of either woman. The victim, Marc Walter Fleming, was a U.S. citizen from California in his 70s. He bought an apartment in a luxury condominium in Playas del Coco, in the Sardinal district of Carrillo, Guanacaste, in March but also had investments in southern Costa Rica.
Investigators say Fleming arrived at the complex with a young woman on the afternoon of Sept. 27 and went up to his sixth-floor apartment. She stayed about two hours. Neighbors reported hearing screams and afterwards, Fleming was found with multiple head injuries. Investigators believe he was struck repeatedly with the glass jar of a blender. His body remains at the Judicial Morgue.
The OIJ first appealed for help in finding the woman after an American man was found dead in Playas del Coco. Security footage it seized shows her leaving the complex on foot through the main gate and walking along the Playas del Coco boulevard. Investigators say she and another person then stopped briefly at a small restaurant before leaving by car.
The apparent theft of Fleming’s bank cards is the main line of investigation into a motive. Investigators say the cards were used at supermarkets in Playas del Coco and Brasilito, for a hotel stay in Flamingo, and at a store in Abangares. Each purchase moved farther from Playas del Coco and closer to San José.
Those credit card purchases offered new leads earlier this week and footage from an ATM camera is now among the evidence. Investigators believe the suspect lives in the San José area and travels to Guanacaste often, usually on weekends. She is described as slim, about 1.60 meters (5 feet 3 inches) tall, with black hair that falls just below her shoulders.
According to the investigation, Fleming left Costa Rica on Sept. 21 and returned from Nicaragua on Sept. 24, three days before his death. Acquaintances described him as sociable and said he had worked on developing surfboard fins. No formal charges have been announced. Prosecutors may ask a court to impose precautionary measures on the detained woman, such as pretrial detention, while the investigation continues.
Anyone with information can contact the OIJ’s confidential line at 800-8000-645.
