SAN JOSÉ — 1986 · Serial Murder
"El Psicópata" — Costa Rica's Unidentified Serial Killer
Between 1986 and 1996 at least 19 people, mostly couples and lone women found on isolated roads or near coffee plantations, were killed around Desamparados, Curridabat and Cartago, south-east of San José. The killer, dubbed "El Psicópata" by the press, was believed to use a long gun and to stalk his victims at night. Police and the OIJ questioned many people and requested FBI assistance, but no one was ever charged. The killings stopped after 1996. Although the file is effectively closed because the statute of limitations has expired, it is still debated as Costa Rica's largest unsolved series.
- Date
- 1986
- Place
- San José, Costa Rica, San José, CR
- Category
- Serial Murder
- Case Status
- Unsolved
- Coordinates
- 9.9100, -84.0300 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 1986The first killings began south of San José.
- Early 1990sThe death toll rose and panic spread in the area.
- 1996The last known killings took place.
- 2000sNo one was tried and the statute of limitations expired.
Sources
- La Nación — El Psicópata: ¿será posible que termine en leyenda? nacion.com ↗
- La Nación — La muerte de Ligia Camacho nacion.com ↗
- Wikipedia — El Psicópata en.wikipedia.org ↗
- La Nación
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.