Early on Thursday, September 21, the Costa Rican Police reported the finding of a body in a vehicle near the Juan Santamaría International Airport in Alajuela; however, the identity of the person was not revealed until later that day.

According to the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) the body corresponds to an 80 year-old German woman by the name of Rosemarie Bockhold Koopman.

The victim was a legal resident of Costa Rica and lived by herself in the area of Santa Ana in San José. The cause of death is asphyxiation.

Information on the motive of the crime is still unclear, however, preliminarily, the OIJ has the theory that the lady was attacked in her home by strangers that could have forced the entry with the intention of robbing the place. The body was found wrapped in a blanket in the trunk of a Toyota Rav 4 which is registered under the name of the woman’s son, who apparently left the country recently.

The Investigative Police checked Bockhold’s house in search for evidence that will provide information on the motive of the crime, while the car was taken to the Alajuela OIJ office for further examination.

Reportedly the woman has family in Costa Rica who are involved in the coffee business in the area of Palmichal de Acosta.