Investigators Searched Both Martinez & Stefaniak’s Rooms, and Said They Found Blood in Stefaniak’s Room A press report by AP News Agency says that Martinez is Nicaraguan.Ģ. It’s not yet clear how Stefaniak and Martinez met, or under what circumstances.
He was taken into custody late Monday evening after investigators said he was providing conflicting statements about his story and that his story in question didn’t match up with security footage. Martinez is 32 years old, authorities say. Via NBC, Espinoza further stated that Martinez was staying in the room next to Stefaniak’s. Martinez was on the “security team” for the AirBnB complex Stefaniak was staying in, according to a statement made by Walter Espinoza, director general of the investigative agency in the Stefaniak case. She hasn't been seen for six days and her family hasn't heard from her since the night before she was set to leave. Carla Stefaniak was celebrating her 36th birthday. Search for Florida woman who went missing during Costa Rica vacation A Florida woman has disappeared during a vacation in Costa Rica, and her family is trying desperately to find her. Martinez Is a Security Guard at the AirBnB Complex Where Stefaniak Was Staying Officials have since said that they believe the motivation of the killing might have been sexual in nature.ġ. On December 4, Stefaniak’s family confirmed that the body found near her apartment was in fact Stefaniak. On November 27, the night before she was supposed to fly home, Stefaniak texted her sister-in-law, April Burton, to say that her AirBnB location was “sketchy.” He has not yet been charged for any crime. Martinez, a security guard at the AirBnb property where Stefaniak was staying, made conflicting statements to police, authorities said. “This is beyond sickening,” they wrote of the second-degree charge in July 2019.Bismarck Espinoza Martinez, seen left in police custody, has been identified as the suspect in the death of Carla Stefaniak.īismarck Espinoza Martinez was taken into custody on December 3 as a suspect in the disappearance of Carla Stefaniak, an American tourist who went to Costa Rica to celebrate her 36th birthday and never came back. On Finding Carla, a Facebook page created “to bring justice to all those responsible for the murder of Carla Stefaniak,” the U.S.-Venezuelan tourist’s friends and family have previously expressed their dissatisfaction with a second-degree charge for Martínez. After her remains were identified, Martínez was almost immediately detained as the primary suspect.
In late 2018, United States-Venezuelan tourist Carla Stefaniak was found dead near the Villa Le Mas apartment in which she had been staying. A Nicaraguan with an “irregular” immigration record, Martínez was also acquitted of aggravated robbery due to lack of evidence. Martínez was found not guilty of having committed homicidio calificado, or first-degree murder, which is the highest degree of homicide charge in Costa Rica. Martínez and the hotel property must also pay 30 million colones (about $53,000) in compensation to Stefaniak’s family. The maximum sentence for second-degree murder in Costa Rica is 18 years. The 16-year prison sentence was announced by the Criminal Court of Pavas. Martínez, who worked at the San Antonio de Escazú apartment Stefaniak had rented through Airbnb, was on Monday found guilty of homicidio simple, or second-degree murder.
Bismarck Espinoza Martínez was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the November 2018 murder of Carla Stefaniak, a tourist who was killed during a visit to Costa Rica.