Multiple people might have been involved in Florida tourist's death, says family

The family of a Miami tourist who was murdered while vacationing in Costa Rica believe multiple people might have been involved in her shocking demise.

Carla Stefaniak’s partially buried body, which was located in a forested area in the proximity of her resort near the capital of San Jose on Dec. 4, was identified by her father, who had traveled from the U.S. to search for her. The autopsy revealed she had fallen victim to a blunt force wound to the head and suffered stab wounds to the upper torso and neck, reported TV station WTVJ.

Stefaniak, 36, was set to return home from the Central American nation on Nov. 28 but did not board her flight. She was last heard from the day before and had texted to her sister-in-law April Burton that conditions were “pretty sketchy” at the resort.

A member of her family indicated on Facebook that sources involved in the investigation told them more than one person was likely involved in her death.

“In fact, the doubt extends to that there may be up to three or four possible people involved,” wrote Stefaniak’s family on Dec. 13. “We have been saying this since day 1. This was organized by more than one person as soon as Carla booked the place.”

Bismark Espinosa Martinez, a security guard at the Airbnb where Stefaniak had been lodging, has already been arrested in connection with the case.

The victim’s ashes were taken to Tampa, where she lived after moving to America in 2000 from her birth country Venezuela.

No other suspects are in custody.