SANTA TERESA, PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA – AUGUST 5, 2018 Costa Rica and Mexico were shaken by the murder of young Mexican tourist María Trinidad Matus Tenorio, who had set out on a trip around the world – her first stop being the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. She arrived in Santa Teresa, a surfing hotspot in the Cóbano area of Puntarenas province, to explore nature and enjoy the ocean she loved – which is why she called herself “Marmaid” on social media, meaning “mermaid.”
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- María Trinidad Matus Tenorio
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- Her dead body
Early in the morning of August 5, 2018, María was walking along the beach with a British acquaintance when two men attacked them, demanding money and valuables. The British woman managed to escape, but María was left in the hands of the attackers, who, according to investigators, forced her into the sea and threatened to drown her. Hours later, locals found her naked body on Playa El Carmen beach.
Police soon arrested two suspects – local men who worked as laborers in the area. One later confessed to taking part in the assault and, in 2019, was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. The other, accused of committing the murder itself, was acquitted two years later due to a lack of evidence. The prosecutor’s appeal was dismissed in 2021, leaving the case without a final conviction.
The young woman’s death sparked a strong public reaction not only in Costa Rica but throughout Latin America. A memorial gathering was held on the beach where she died, attended by her friends, tourists, and locals. Her mother said at the time: “Her name was María Trinidad, but she called herself Mar – and it was in the sea she loved so much that she met her end.”
Some reports suggest that the attack was primarily sexually motivated. This is supported by the fact that she was found completely naked in the sand. However, the alleged rape was never proven.
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