Jairo Mora

Six of the suspects arrested for the murder of Costa Rican sea turtle conservationist Jairo Mora will remain in jail until at least May 1, the Limón Prosecutor's Office said.

Seven defendants were charged with the murder, and their preventive detention is set to expire in February.

In February, endangered leatherback sea turtles will begin nesting on Moín Beach, where conservationist Jairo Mora was killed by poachers last May. Police and government officials have no plans to protect the turtles, and environmentalists are now pushing to designate the area as a national park. But even that would be too late for this year's baby turtles.

Organizers of the Planet, People and Peace Conference highlighted organic chocolatiers and an indigenous fair trade store as examples of environmentally-friendly and "sustainable" tourism.

Documents recently obtained by The Tico Times in the investigation of Jairo Mora’s death help unravel the mystery behind the murder of a young Costa Rican conservationist who once worked peacefully with poachers on the beach he tried to protect.

Another suspect may be posting on Facebook from prison.

In an early-morning series of raids in the province of Limón, Costa Rican police captured eight suspects in the May 31 slaying of turtle conservationist Jairo Mora. But those who worked with Mora are challenging official statements issued by Costa Rica’s top authorities in a press conference on Wednesday.

The murder of 26-year-old Jairo Mora in late May exposed cracks in the country's international environmental image, and proved that protecting nature sometimes has a terrible cost.

As a light rain fell across the country, Costa Ricans and foreigners gathered to honor a young Tico who gave his life protecting turtles.

Jairo Mora Sandoval's murder on May 30 followed a year of threats to the Moín turtle conservation program.