American Surfing Icon Kurt Van Dyke Killed in Costa Rica Home Robbery

American surfer Kurt Van Dyke, 66, was tragically killed during an apparent robbery at his apartment in Cahuita, a Caribbean coastal town in Costa Rica, authorities confirmed on February 14. The incident has shocked the international surfing community and local residents alike.

The Costa Rica Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) reported that the alarm was raised around 10:50 a.m. when a man was found dead in an apartment in the municipality of Talamanca, approximately 105 miles east of San José. OIJ spokesman Carlos Valverde said Van Dyke was in the apartment with a woman when two armed men allegedly confronted them, threatening them with firearms and holding them for several minutes while stealing valuables.

“He was asphyxiated and sustained multiple stab wounds,” Valverde said, confirming Van Dyke’s death at the scene. The woman present suffered minor injuries and is expected to recover. The case remains under investigation as authorities work to identify the suspects and fully determine the circumstances of the crime.

A Surfing Legacy in the Caribbean and California

Van Dyke, originally from Santa Cruz, California, was celebrated internationally for his achievements in surfing competitions and his role in promoting the sport in the Caribbean. He came from a prominent surfing family: his mother, Betty Van Dyke, was among the pioneering female surfers, while his first husband, Gene Van Dyke, and other family members were well-known figures in Northern California surfing circles.

His brother, Peter Van Dyke, described Kurt as “a very benevolent, giving person who would help just about anybody. Kurt would never hurt anyone, and he was always there when you needed him. Everyone that he met knew this about him.”

Surfing media platform Raw Surf extended condolences to Van Dyke’s family and the Costa Rican surfing community, stating, “Our hearts go out to Kurt’s family and the Costa Rican surfing community for this unimaginable loss.”