On May 8, 1991, the small community of Concho de Pocosol, situated just 15 kilometers south of the Nicaraguan border, was shaken by a tragic massacre that resulted in the deaths of a family seeking refuge from violence in Nicaragua.

The family included Adrián López Cisneros, 30, his wife María Hernández Condega, 39, their four young children, and María’s elderly mother, Clementina Condega Navas, 60.

Adrián and María fled Nicaragua due to escalating violence, hoping to find a safer life in Costa Rica.

They had been living in Pocosol for approximately three years, tending to their land.

On the day of the tragedy, Adrián was confronted by two assailants, Vicente Salmerón Rojas and Guillermo Aguilera Miranda, with whom he had a prior connection through guerrilla activities.

Aguilera had been implicated in a previous kidnapping case, leading to fears of retaliation against anyone who might report his activities.

On the evening of May 6, the assailants approached the López residence looking for Adrián, but he was not home at that time.

Two days later, they forced María and Clementina from their home into a nearby mountainous area, tying them to a tamarind tree.

After several hours, María managed to escape and sought help from the Rural Guard, but by the time authorities arrived, the children had been brutally murdered.

The youngest victims, Giselle, 6, Alfredo, 4, and Adrián, 7 months, were found dead, each suffering violent injuries.

Adrián’s body was discovered later, on May 11, hidden in a cattle ranch a kilometer and a half away from their home.

Evidence indicated that he had suffered multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma before his death.

Search efforts for the suspects resulted in Aguilera’s capture on May 18, while Salmerón managed to escape to Nicaragua.

During his detention, Aguilera claimed he and Salmerón had been involved in a kidnapping gone wrong, which led to their violent actions against the López family.

Despite efforts to extradite Aguilera back to Costa Rica, the Nicaraguan authorities refused to cooperate, citing local legal protections.

Aguilera was later reported dead, shot by Nicaraguan officials, while Salmerón reportedly fell into a life of crime before his own death in Nicaragua.

The murder of the López children and their father has since been classified by the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) as one of the most tragic and violent cases in Costa Rican history, encapsulating the broader issues of violence and crime that have plagued both Nicaragua and Costa Rica, particularly concerning those who are compelled to flee their homes in search of safety.

In a separate incident on March 28, 2025, the body of a 32-year-old man named Méndez was discovered in the Santa Fe River in Cóbano.

The OIJ reported that the body displayed signs of extreme violence including multiple stab wounds and burn marks, indicating a potential link to drug trafficking, although the investigation was still ongoing and no missing person report had been filed for him.

Further violence was reported in Limón the same day, where the body of a 35-year-old man was discovered on the roadside, showing multiple gunshot wounds.

These events reflect the ongoing challenges of crime and public safety in Costa Rica.