Bodies buried

Murder in paradise: Woman (58) was from Austria

The bodies of a German couple were discovered in Costa Rica. The woman (pictured) was originally from Austria.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Stock.adobe.com , Screenshot/Facebook.com)

The lives of a German couple in the vacation paradise of Costa Rica ended tragically. As reported, their bodies were discovered buried on their private property and investigators believe it was a robbery-murder. As the "Krone" has now learned, the woman (58) was a native Austrian ... 

The murdered woman's brother, Franz D., contacted the "Krone" and emphasized that the female body was his sister Manuela D.-S.. The 58-year-old was from Bischofshofen (Salzburg) but had German citizenship. She mostly posted pictures with her dogs on her Facebook profile.

Finca as a second home
Together with her 60-year-old husband, she had bought a property in the town of Quepos in the popular vacation region of Puntarenas (south of the capital San José) two years ago. According to official information, the victims used their finca near the famous Manuel Antonio National Park as a second home. The couple had a residence permit and were constantly traveling in and out of the country, most recently in September 2025, according to the head of the OIJ criminal investigation department, Randall Zuniga.

Victims bound and buried in bags
The bodies of the two were discovered on Tuesday (local time) on their property in Quepos, south of the capital San José. They were buried in a pit. The police believe it was a double murder, most likely the result of a robbery. The authorities are currently securing the crime scene with specialized forensic teams and are working at full speed to determine the circumstances of the events. The broadcaster Teletica reported, citing Zuniga, that the bodies were found tied up and in sacks.

"So far we have not spoken to their family. We have contacted the German embassy, but have not yet made direct contact with them," emphasized Zuniga.

Police received an anonymous tip-off, neighbors describe the last hours
Neighbors last saw the couple on Saturday when they were out walking their dogs. "On Saturday afternoon we saw them drive away in the car, after that we didn't see them again," residents told local media in Costa Rica. The gate had been open. "But we thought they were in the house," reported a neighbor. As the criminal investigation department has now announced, the authorities received an anonymous tip from the neighborhood that an act of violence had taken place in the house.

In the bedroom, in several places, it can be seen that attempts were made to cover up the traces of the crime.

 Randall Zuniga, Leiter der Kriminalpolizei OIJ

Signs of violence in the house
During the search of her finca on Monday evening (local time), the officers initially found signs of violence, as Zuniga reported: "In the bedroom, in several places, you can see that attempts were made to cover up the traces of the crime." Investigators finally came across the pit on the property. After several hours of excavation, the two lifeless bodies were uncovered. The authorities have not released any further details about the ongoing investigation for the time being.

Costa Rica: Increased crime in some regions
Costa Rica is considered a popular travel destination due to its political stability and high standard of living compared to the rest of the region. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country is generally classified as safe, but in some regions there are warnings of increased crime due to robberies. Despite the overall lower crime rate compared to neighboring countries, the Foreign Ministry recommends that travelers exercise caution and regularly check the latest safety information.