The killing of Kurt Van Dyke, a 66-year-old American hotel owner, in a robbery at his home in Hone Creek near Cahuita has prompted the Costa Rica Hotel Chamber to speak out about risks to the region’s reputation for safety.
Two armed men entered the apartment Van Dyke shared with his girlfriend around 10:50 a.m. on Saturday. They held the couple at gunpoint, tied them up, took valuables and a vehicle, then attacked Van Dyke. He died from asphyxiation and multiple stab wounds. His girlfriend survived. The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) is handling the case and has collected evidence from the scene, including possible fingerprints and nearby security footage. No arrests have been made.
Van Dyke owned Hotel Puerto Viejo in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and had lived in the Caribbean region for decades. A surfer from Santa Cruz, California, he built a respected business that drew international visitors to the area. The Costa Rica Hotel Chamber expressed concern that the homicide could damage the Caribbean region’s safety image for visitors and locals. Flora Ayub from the chamber noted that repeated killings across the country have already affected Costa Rica’s standing abroad.
Regional tourism representatives shared the worry but underlined that the area stays safe. Roger Sams, president of the Southern Caribbean Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, said the news hurts promotion efforts. He described the case as isolated and unrelated to tourists. “This is an isolated case. He is the owner of a hotel, not a tourist. It has nothing to do with tourists and the people who come to visit us,” Sams stated. He added that no violence of this kind against visitors has occurred in recent months.
OIJ agents continue their work on the investigation. Local hotel operators and authorities maintain ongoing cooperation to support security in the zone.
