Costa Rican judicial police released a photo today of the main suspect in the killing of an American man in Playas del Coco and identified her as a 22-year-old woman with the last name of Ortiz. Agents did not find her when they went to her home in La Capri de Desamparados, south of San José, and she remains at large.
Hours earlier, agents of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) detained a second woman in early-morning raids. She was identified by her last name of Zeledón and was arrested at a condominium in San Miguel de Desamparados. Investigators suspect she helped Ortiz travel to San José after the killing.
According to the investigation, Zeledón allegedly picked Ortiz up by car after she left the victim’s building. Investigators say she then drove Ortiz to an ATM and to several businesses where the victim’s bank cards were used. They also believe she recruited people for paid companion services.
No charges have been announced against either woman, and the Prosecutor’s Office has not said what precautionary measures it will seek against Zeledón. The National Child Welfare Agency (PANI) took custody of her daughter on Friday and is assessing close relatives who could care for the girl.
The victim, Marc Walter Fleming, a U.S. citizen from California, was killed on the afternoon of Sept. 27 in his sixth-floor apartment. The luxury condominium is in Playas del Coco, in the Sardinal district of Carrillo, Guanacaste. Investigators say a young woman matching Ortiz’s description arrived with him and stayed about two hours before leaving alone on foot.
Fleming was found with multiple head injuries, which investigators believe were caused by the glass jar of a blender. Security cameras recorded both women in Playas del Coco before they traveled to the capital, according to the investigation. The OIJ first appealed for help after an American man was found dead in Playas del Coco. Days later, credit card purchases offered new leads as the victim’s cards turned up at businesses along a route from Guanacaste toward San José.
Fleming had bought his apartment in March. He made fins for surfboards and enjoyed fishing and trips out on yachts. Anyone who recognizes Ortiz or has information about where she is can call the OIJ’s confidential line at 800-8000-645.
