Kurt Van Dyke, a 66-year-old California surfer known for decades on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, was stabbed and suffocated during a home break-in as his girlfriend was restrained with zip ties, authorities and relatives said.
The killing, reported late morning on Saturday, Feb. 14, has drawn attention across the surfing world and back to Van Dyke’s hometown of Santa Cruz, where friends said he helped shape a generation’s view of wave-riding and travel. Costa Rican investigators have not announced arrests or publicly identified suspects. The case is being handled by judicial police as they work to confirm a timeline, track stolen property and review surveillance video from the neighborhood.
Police were called to a residence in the Limón province after a report of an armed break-in, according to officials and local media accounts. Investigators said Van Dyke and his girlfriend were inside when at least two men entered the home and threatened them with a gun. The girlfriend, identified by authorities only by her last name, Arroyo, told investigators she had been in the shower when the intruders arrived. She said they restrained her, assaulted her and moved through the residence taking items before killing Van Dyke.
When officers arrived, they found Van Dyke dead in a bedroom area, according to early investigative reports shared by officials. He had stab wounds and signs of asphyxiation, investigators said. In one detail that has fueled shock and grief in the community, authorities said his remains were found under a bed with a sheet placed over his head and a knife left nearby. Arroyo survived the attack and was treated as a victim and witness, authorities said, while investigators began collecting statements and looking for video from surrounding properties.
Officials said the intruders stole valuables and took the couple’s vehicle, a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, before fleeing. The stolen car became a central piece of the early search because it could be traced through cameras, tolls and sightings on the coastal roads that connect small towns to the highway leading toward San José. Security video reviewed by investigators captured a vehicle leaving the area, and authorities said they were working to determine whether it was the stolen car and where it went next. Investigators also sought information from neighbors who may have heard voices or seen unfamiliar people near the residence earlier that morning.
Van Dyke was an American who had lived in Costa Rica since the 1980s, friends and relatives said, arriving when much of the country’s surf tourism was still in its early days. Over time, he became a fixture around Salsa Brava, the powerful reef break off Puerto Viejo known for heavy barrels and fast takeoffs. Surfers who spent time there said his local reputation was built on both skill and boldness in the water, and on a willingness to help newcomers understand the hazards and etiquette of a challenging wave. In Santa Cruz and on the Caribbean coast, he was widely known by the nickname “King,” friends said.
Relatives in California said they were struggling to process the news while coordinating with U.S. officials and Costa Rican authorities on next steps. One of Van Dyke’s sons, who lives in Costa Rica, told family members that his father had been killed, according to accounts shared by relatives. Van Dyke is survived by three children, family members said, and relatives said they were preparing for travel and planning a memorial in California while also considering services in Costa Rica, where he built a home and community.
Arroyo’s account to investigators has provided much of the early picture of what happened, but officials cautioned that the investigation was still developing. Authorities have not publicly released a full incident report, and they have not described the assailants beyond saying there were at least two. They also have not said whether the attackers knew Van Dyke or targeted the home because of valuables. Van Dyke’s brother, Peter Van Dyke, told reporters the family feared the crime might involve more than a random robbery, but investigators have not publicly confirmed a motive.
The killing has also sharpened focus on security and crime concerns in tourist areas along Costa Rica’s coasts, even as many residents describe Puerto Viejo and nearby communities as generally calm. The region draws visitors for beaches, wildlife, diving and surfing, and many long-term expatriates live alongside Costa Rican families who work in hospitality and small businesses. Residents said the violence felt personal because the victim was not a short-term visitor but someone who had lived there for decades and was deeply tied to the town’s daily rhythms.
Friends in Santa Cruz described Van Dyke as part of a well-known local family whose members were connected to both farming and the early surf scene. In the 1970s and 1980s, Santa Cruz became a center of California surf culture, with magazines, films and contests turning local names into national figures. People who surfed with Van Dyke said he was adventurous and competitive, the kind of athlete who would push into bigger conditions and then spend the afternoon talking about what he saw on a set wave. Several said the shock was compounded by the way authorities described the scene inside the home.
In Costa Rica, Van Dyke’s role went beyond surfing. Friends said he helped support local tourism as the area grew, welcoming travelers and encouraging respect for the ocean and for the community. Some described him as generous, others as intense, and many said he was simply impossible to miss because he seemed to know everyone in town. After news of his death spread, condolences poured in online from surfers who had visited Salsa Brava once and from others who had lived in Puerto Viejo for years. Many posts described him as a symbol of the wave and the era when the town was smaller and more remote.
Investigators have not publicly said whether they believe the intruders were armed with more than one weapon, or whether the weapon used to stab Van Dyke was brought to the residence or taken from inside. Officials said the remains were sent for forensic examination to confirm the full cause of death and collect evidence that could be compared with any suspects later identified. Authorities have also not said whether Arroyo had prior contact with the assailants or whether she could provide descriptions that might help identify them. Police have asked anyone with information about the stolen vehicle or suspicious activity in the area that morning to come forward through official channels.
The case is being handled by Costa Rica’s judicial investigators, who typically build files for prosecutors through witness interviews, forensic testing and analysis of digital evidence. In similar cases, investigators review phone data, nearby camera feeds and transaction records tied to stolen items. Authorities have not said whether any items from the home have been recovered, and they have not released a public list of what was taken beyond the car and unspecified valuables. They also have not said whether the residence showed signs of forced entry, or whether the attackers entered through an unlocked door, a window or another route.
Outside the residence, people in the neighborhood said the days after the killing felt quieter. Puerto Viejo’s streets, lined with small markets, restaurants and surf shops, carried on with tourists arriving and scooters buzzing past, but residents said the conversations had changed. Some talked about locking gates earlier in the evening. Others spoke about how quickly a normal morning can turn into a police scene. Local surfers said the break itself still demanded attention and respect, but that the danger now felt as if it had come onto land.
For Van Dyke’s family, the focus has been on grief and logistics. Relatives said they were working with the U.S. Embassy to handle consular issues and to coordinate on the transfer of his remains. They also said they hoped Costa Rican authorities would identify and arrest those responsible. Friends in both countries said they planned gatherings to remember him, with some expecting paddle-outs in the ocean, a tradition in which surfers form a circle in the water to honor someone who has died.
As of Wednesday, Feb. 18, investigators had not announced arrests or named suspects in Van Dyke’s killing, and officials said the case remained under active investigation. Authorities said they were continuing to track the stolen vehicle, review surveillance footage and await forensic results that could guide the next steps.
Author note: Last updated February 18, 2026.