Brother of California surfer killed in Costa Rica speaks out

The brother of a US surfer slain in Costa Rica has warned the killing is “more nefarious” than a random break-in.

During an interview with the California Post on Monday morning, Peter Van Dyke revealed more details about his brother Kurt Van Dyke’s death in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.

The body of Kurt Van Dyke, 66, was found under his bed at the property on Saturday, with multiple stab wounds and evidence of asphyxiation, local reports say.

His girlfriend, a 31-year-old identified only as Arroyo, was zip-tied and beaten before armed intruders made off with valuables including their car.

Peter said he suspects there is more to the killing than first thought, adding he had spoken to his younger brother just a few days ago and said he was “in good spirits.”

But he said news he had a girlfriend was new to him and warned there were people in the area “who did not like him.”

He told The Post on Monday: “There are people who like him and there are people who don’t. It was more nefarious.”

Kurt Van Dyke had several business partners in the region after moving to Costa Rica in the mid-1980s, according to Peter Van Dyke.

The two spoke weekly, and Peter revealed his brother had assured him recently “he had everything under control.”

Kurt Van Dyke, who owned a hotel in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, was found dead Saturday, with a sheet over his head and a knife next to him, local reports say.

According to reports, his girlfriend was in the shower when two armed men suddenly stormed into the home, forcing the couple into a room at gunpoint.

Arroyo said the intruders zip-tied her hands and feet, assaulted her, and made off with several valuables — including the couple’s 2013 Hyundai Elantra — before fleeing.

Peter said he learned about his brother’s death Saturday from Kurt’s son. “We haven’t connected much with his son and daughter or the community,” he said.

The grieving brother said he has been in contact with the US Embassy in Costa Rica, which has communicated with the family regarding Kurt Van Dyke’s remains, as he has relatives across California.

“Law enforcement is not letting anything out,” Peter Van Dyke said, adding he believes authorities may not yet have suspects. He added, “Costa Rica isn’t like it was 15 years ago. There’s a lot of murder, a lot of thievery.”

The town where the killing occurred is mostly considered safe, and the incident sent shockwaves through the community.

“I am deeply saddened,” Roger Sams, president of Costa Rica’s Southern Caribbean Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, told Costa Rican newspaper La Nación in Spanish, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.

“We’ve had a long period of calm and tranquility. … This shocks and saddens us because the Caribbean has been so peaceful.”

Van Dyke was well known in Costa Rica and in California.

He spent decades running a modest hotel in Puerto Viejo and built a reputation as a standout surfer after arriving in the early 1980s to chase the thunderous Salsa Brava break — a run that earned him the nickname “King” along the Caribbean coast.

Surfing was in his blood. His father Gene Van Dyke was a Northern California pioneer of the sport, while his mother Betty helped blaze a trail for women surfers in the 1950s and ’60s.

Beyond the waves, the Van Dyke family name is rooted in agriculture, operating the longtime Van Dyke Ranch near Gilroy, known for its apricots and cherries sold at local farmers markets.

According to local reports, as of Dec. 16, 2025, Costa Rica had already tallied 833 murders, averaging roughly 2.4 killings per day, highlighting ongoing security challenges linked to gang activity and drug route disputes.

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