Costa Rica Nabs Three in the Murder of U.S. Engineer – The Costa Rican Times

The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) has moved decisively in the case that shocked both expat and local communities: the murder of Eshraghollah “Eshra” Vatani, a 71-year-old U.S. citizen and Dallas-based civil engineer found dead in Cartago after vanishing in late May. In coordinated operations this week, agents detained two adults and a 17-year-old tied to the homicide; a judge then ordered three months of preventive measures while prosecutors build the case. The investigation points to a robbery-motivated crime, a teenager’s alleged “honey-trap” luring, and a spending trail on the victim’s bank cards that practically signed its own confession. CR Hoy

Below is what we know—timelines, arrests, and the evidence OIJ says is bringing this case into focus.

A Tight Timeline: Arrival, Disappearance, and Discovery

• May 19, 2025 — Vatani arrives at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), visits a few shops, and checks in at a hotel in barrio Dent, San José. The next day, he drives to an apartment in Mercedes Norte, Heredia—the location OIJ now says was central to the trap. He is not seen again by family. lateja.cr+1
• May 27 — His family files a missing-person report with OIJ. lateja.cr
• June 5 — A body is found in Bermejo de Quebradilla, Cartago, down a ravine on private property. Because of the condition of the remains, authorities need lab work to confirm identity—matching clothing and other indicators strongly suggest it is Vatani. CR Hoy
• August 6 — OIJ confirms the identity as Vatani and announces progress in the case. CR Hoy

The discovery site was grim. According to judicial reporting, Vatani’s body was bound and later confirmed to bear gunshot wounds, details that transformed a missing-person search into a homicide investigation with urgency. CR Hoy

The Case OIJ Is Building: A Teen Lure, a Stolen RAV4, and a Card-Swipe Trail

Investigators say the motive was robbery. OIJ’s current working theory is that a 17-year-old girl lured Vatani to the Mercedes Norte apartment, where a group of men attacked him. From there, the group allegedly used Vatani’s gray 2022 Toyota RAV4 LE (plate BVS-159) to transport his body to Cartago. The vehicle has not been recovered. If you’ve seen it—or saw it around late May—OIJ asks you to report tips to 800-8000-645. lateja.cr

The spending trail helped crack the case. OIJ says approximately $18,000 in cash was taken and about $10,000 was charged to Vatani’s cards at multiple stores, including a Moravia shopping mall, with purchases ranging from footwear to perfume. (If you ever doubted that receipts talk, this is your reminder.) lateja.cr

The Arrests (So Far): Two Men and a Minor, Plus Earlier Detentions for Card Use

• August 6 — OIJ raids in Aguacaliente de Cartago and Rincón de Zaragoza, Palmares (Alajuela) lead to the arrest of a 22-year-old man (surname Brown Reid) and a 17-year-old girl. Later that day, agents pick up a 20-year-old (surname Donaldson/Donalson) in Nicoya, Guanacaste. CR Hoy
• A judge orders three months of preventive detention for the two adults and three months of provisional detention for the minor (the juvenile-justice equivalent). One additional suspect remains at large, OIJ says. CR Hoy
• June 4 (earlier stage) — Four individuals aged 18, 19, 21, and 24 were detained for using the victim’s bank cards during the disappearance window. They were later released but remain tied to the case as potential information sources. CR Hoy

Important legal note: All detainees are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Their names are presented as surnames, per common judicial reporting in Costa Rica, and the minor’s identity is rightly withheld.

Evidence OIJ Says It Has: Apartment Blood, Purchases, and Pattern

Investigators conducted forensic luminol testing in the Mercedes Norte apartment and reportedly found significant blood evidence. Combined with surveillance-footage timelines and the purchasing spree on Vatani’s cards, OIJ argues it has a coherent narrative: contact established by the teen, arrival at the apartment, violence at that location, the RAV4 used to transport the body, and an immediate drawdown of the victim’s assets. lateja.cr

The cards-first arrests on June 4 may have looked peripheral at the time, but they appear to have provided crucial leads—locations, associates, and spending patterns—that narrowed the suspect pool and supported this week’s raids. CR Hoy

Who Was Eshraghollah “Eshra” Vatani?

By profession, Vatani was a licensed civil engineer and the longtime president of Vatani Consulting Engineers, a Dallas-area firm. Colleagues and clients knew him as methodical, exacting, and—yes—kind. Family remembrances describe a man who loved time with his grandchildren, the outdoors, gardening, and music, particularly traditional Persian instruments like the tombak and santur. His family also notes his active participation in the Bahá’í faith. Vatani Consulting Engineerslateja.cr

Public obituaries list his birthplace as Shahi Mazandarán, Iran (October 11, 1954) and record a Texas memorial service held June 28, 2025, after Costa Rican authorities first indicated the likely identification of the remains. CR Hoyechovita.com

He also maintained ties to Costa Rica over many years and owned property near Portalón de Quepos on the Central Pacific coast—context for why early reports referenced Quepos even as the homicide investigation concentrated in Heredia and Cartago. lateja.cr

What Happens Next: Procedure, Proof, and a Missing Vehicle

With three suspects under court-ordered detention, prosecutors and OIJ will now:

1. Complete forensic analysis tied to the apartment, vehicle sightings, and the recovery site;
2. Trace financial transactions, pulling video and receipts from merchants that processed the cards;
3. Pursue the remaining suspect and the still-missing RAV4;
4. Decide on formal charges (homicide, aggravated robbery, and related counts) once the investigative file is complete.

It’s worth noting how Costa Rica’s system works: prisión preventiva is not a conviction; it’s a temporary custodial measure approved by a judge when flight risk, risk of reoffending, or interference with the investigation is alleged and substantiated. The juvenile equivalent is detención provisional, which carries similar caution but applies the Juvenile Justice law. (Different words, same basic idea: keep suspects available while investigators finish their job.) CR Hoy

Safety Takeaways (Without Victim-Blaming)

Homicides of visiting foreigners are rare in Costa Rica, but opportunistic theft is not. The point isn’t to live in fear; it’s to travel with sensible guardrails:

• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash; use bank or hotel safes if you must transport funds.
• Meet new contacts in public, well-lit places and verify identities for private-property visits.
• Spread financial risk: separate cards, enable alerts, and restrict large transactions without phone confirmation.
• Report suspicious card activity immediately; as this case shows, the paper trail can be powerful.

These are general traveler best practices and, as OIJ’s work suggests, sometimes the difference between a cold trail and quick leads. (We’ll skip the lecture; you get it.)

A Community Mourns—and Expects Justice

By all accounts, Eshra Vatani wasn’t a careless tourist on a first trip abroad; he was a seasoned professional with deep ties to Costa Rica. That’s partly why this case resonated: it’s not a tidy narrative, it’s a violent crime against a grandfather, engineer, and man of faith who treated Costa Rica like a second home. The least we can do is cover it with respect, demand precision from officials, and support a justice process that is thorough and fair.

For the family, friends, and colleagues reading this: may the swift progress bring some measure of clarity. For everyone else: if you have credible information about the missing RAV4 (gray, 2022 RAV4 LE, plate BVS-159) or the suspects’ movements in late May, contact OIJ at 800-8000-645. Tips matter. lateja.cr

Sources and Verification Notes

• Preventive detention orders, suspect ages/surnames, identity confirmation, injuries, motive, and the Aug. 6 arrests: CRHoy reports by Daniel Córdoba. CR Hoy
• Body discovery details (June 5 in Bermejo de Quebradilla), initial four arrests for card use, and last-seen timeline: CRHoy earlier coverage. CR Hoy
• Lure to Mercedes Norte, spending trail ($10,000), cash theft ($18,000), missing RAV4 (plate BVS-159), luminol findings, and 800-8000-645 tip line; family remembrances including faith and music: La Teja.
• Professional background: Vatani Consulting Engineers company page. Vatani Consulting Engineers
• Memorial and biographical details: public obituary listings. echovita.com

Editor’s note: This is an active investigation. Details may be updated as prosecutors file charges and as OIJ executes additional warrants. We will update this story as the record evolves.