American surfer Kurt Van Dyke was found dead in an apparent robbery in his apartment in Cahuita, a town on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, on Saturday. He was 66 years old.
According to Costa Rica’s Office of Judicial Investigation (OIJ), the incident was reported around 10:50 a.m. when authorities received a call that a man had been found dead in a room.
Law enforcement responded to the scene in Talamanca, about 165 miles east of the capital San Jose, and confirmed the death, OIJ spokesman Carlos Valverde said.
Valverde said Van Dyke was in the apartment with a woman when they were approached by two armed men. According to preliminary reports, the suspects threatened him with a firearm and detained him for several minutes while stealing valuables.
Authorities indicated Van Dyke died at the scene. “He was asphyxiated and had multiple stab wounds,” an OIJ spokesperson said. The woman who was with him suffered minor injuries, but her injuries were not life-threatening.
The body was taken to a forensic mortuary to determine the exact cause of death. OIJ said the incident remains under investigation to clarify the circumstances of the incident and identify those responsible.
A native of Santa Cruz, California, Van Dyke was recognized in the international surfing community for his participation in competitions and his influence in promoting the sport in the Caribbean region.
He was also a member of California’s famous surfing family.
Her mother Betty Van Dyke’s 2021 obituary said she was part of a pioneering group of early female surfers, and her first husband, Gene Van Dyke, was also a prominent surfer in Northern California, the Associated Press reported.
Peter Van Dyke, Kurt’s brother, told the San Francisco Chronicle in a text message: “My brother was a very compassionate man, a kind man who would help anyone. Kurt would never hurt anyone and was always there when you needed him. Everyone who met him knew him.”
Raw Surf, a global media platform dedicated to sharing surf culture and stories around the world, expressed its condolences over this tragedy. “Our hearts go out to Kurt’s family and the Costa Rican surfing community on this unimaginable loss,” a post on his Instagram account read.
