As many as FOUR accomplices may have been involved in American birthday girl’s murder in Costa Rica, not just the security guard, as it’s revealed the victim was killed with multiple weapons after trying to fend off a sex assault
- Up to four people may have played a part in the violent murder of Carla Stefaniak
- Thus far, security guard Bismark Espinosa Martinez has been arrested in the case
- Forensic examinations conducted have led investigators to believe that multiple people, likely all men, were involved in the killing
- The insurance agent was murdered while celebrating her birthday in the country
- She had been staying at an Airbnb, where the guard was working at the time
- Q Costa Rica reports that Stefaniak was killed with more than one weapon
- This includes a knife and a metal pipe, which ultimately killed her after she had a stroke and suffered a blow to the head
- Stefaniak fended off a sexual assault before she died in the vacation rental
Costa Rican media outlets report that up to four perpetrators may have played a part in the sexually-motivated murder of a 36-year-old Miami woman late last month.
Airbnb security guard Bismark Espinosa Martinez, 32, was taken into custody last Tuesday, a day after Carla Stefaniak’s body was found half-naked and covered in plastic bags near the San Jose vacation rental she had been staying in.
Forensic examinations conducted since then have led investigators to believe that multiple people, likely all men, were involved in the killing. Police, however, have released little details due to the confidentiality of the case.
Q Costa Rica reports that Stefaniak was murdered with more than one weapon, including a knife that left her with cuts on her upper extremities, and a metal pipe, which caused her to have a stroke after suffering a blow to the head, as she fended off the sex assault.
Investigators reportedly received a tip from an Airbnb guest who said they heard noises coming from the rental the night Stefaniak was murdered. Family and friends last heard from her the evening of November 27.
Up to four perpetrators may have played a part in the sexually-motivated murder of 36-year-old Miami woman Carla Stefaniak (pictured)
Her Airbnb security guard Bismark Espinosa Martinez, 32, (pictured) was taken into custody last Tuesday
Martinez Martinez was placed in handcuffs before police in San Jose loaded him into a police van
The local outlet said the guest heard ‘furniture being moved and cleaning inside the villa.’
The day the victim’s body was found December 3, the Organismo de Investigación Judicial entered the villa and said it had been cleaned, aside from the traces of blood found left behind, which led them to the security guard’s next door villa.
Stefaniak had described in a text message to her sister-in-law November 27 that the vacation rental was ‘pretty sketchy’ and the power was going out.
Stefaniak also told a friend in a FaceTime call that night that she was planning to meet up with the guard to ask him to purchase water because of the storm.
That was the last the friend heard from her before her phone battery died around 9pm.
Stefaniak, who was employed at a Miami insurance agency before her tragic death, had been on vacation in Costa Rica with her sister-in-law April Burton to ring in her 36th birthday.
She was scheduled to fly home alone November 28 – a day after Burton left Costa Rica.
Stefaniak dropped Burton at the airport and returned their rental car before taking a 30-minute Uber to an Airbnb that she had checked in to for her final night.
The victim had checked into her 1pm flight but never made it to the airport – and never responded to a number of birthday messages from concerned family and friends.
Her loved ones said in a statement regarding her death: ‘Words cannot express the devastation within her family and friends.
‘We want the world to know that we will never forget Carla… we will never forget the joy she brought into our lives, how much she made us laugh.
‘We will always be with her and we know she will always be with us. May god bless her soul.’