US woman murdered in San Jose hotel was charity founder, mother of two

Sondra Lynn Elizondo, 45 was found murdered in a San Jose hotel room Wednesday. (Facebook photo)

December 11^th, 2015 (ICR News) A woman from the United States who was found brutally murdered in a San Jose hotel room on Wednesday was the co-founder of Vida Volunteer, an organization that provides free medical and dental care in needy communities in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala, the organization confirmed on Thursday.

Sondra Lynn Elizondo, 45, was also the mother of two, the organization said in a post to its Facebook page.  The woman lived in Merritt Island, Florida and had arrived in Costa Rica on Saturday for meetings as part of her duties with the aid organization.

“Sondra was a devoted mother, loyal friend and caring daughter. She was a great inspiration and always passionate about helping others and making a positive difference. Vida Volunteer is the legacy Sondra leaves behind and we are more committed than ever to keeping her dream alive,” the organization said on Facebook.

Elizondo’s body was found naked in a pool of blood, with multiple stab wounds to the neck, chest, and abdomen.  Blood splatter was found in the room indicative of defensive wounds, according to sources that are not yet authorized to speak on the matter.

The woman is said to have checked into the hotel in San Jose’s Barrio California, known as “Casa 69,” with a younger Costa Rican man, who authorities are seeking as a primary suspect in the crime, according to the Judicial Investigative Police (OIJ).

The tabloid daily Diario Extra, citing unnamed sources, reports that the woman had stayed at the same hotel, accompanied by the same man, during previous trips to the country.  The newspaper describes the man as being approximately 30 years of age, and that unnamed sources indicate that the pair appeared to be in a romantic relationship.

Investigators found no signs of robbery, and the murder is being investigated as a crime of passion, a police official told ICR News on Thursday.

The Casa 69 hotel in Barrio California, San Jose, where Elizondo was found murdered on Wednesday.