HomeTopicsCrimeCanadian longtime expat goes missing in Costa Rica under 'strange' circumstances

Canadian longtime expat goes missing in Costa Rica under ‘strange’ circumstances

Update, Sat. Jan 24, 1:40 p.m.:

Four days have passed since the “strange” disappearance of well-known Canadian expat and nationalized Costa Rican Ryan Piercy, 45, and police, family members and colleagues continue to maintain guarded silence over the case. In one of few public comments on the investigation, Judicial Investigation Police Director Francisco Segura told Channel 7’s Telenoticias on Thursday:

We’ve got to wait to see what we get out of the interviews with relatives. … We don’t know if he disappeared alone, or if he was disappeared. … Those are questions that happen in reality. … The fact that the vehicle appeared abandoned could have been any of a number of things. However, the OIJ is investigating.

The Tico Times will update this story as soon as any new developments emerge. If you have any information to share about Ryan or the case, please write to Tico Times editor David Boddiger at dboddiger@ticotimes.net.

Original story continues here:

Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) and the Canadian Embassy in San José confirmed to The Tico Times that they are investigating the disappearance of a Canadian citizen who was last seen on Tuesday.

Police discovered an abandoned car with its doors open on the side of the road along Route 32 Tuesday evening. The car is registered to the missing man, Ryan Piercy, 45, OIJ Director Francisco Segura said Wednesday morning. Piercy’s wife told police that her husband left for work in the morning but that she hadn’t been able to contact him since.

Segura called the disappearance “extremely strange.”

The Tico Times
The Tico Times

Piercy, a businessman, is a Canadian native and nationalized Costa Rican. He also is manager at the Association of Residents of Costa Rica, an organization that aids expats in the residency process here. He had no police record, the OIJ director added.

Michael Martin, a representative of the Canadian Embassy in San José’s political and economic section, said that the embassy is in contact with Piercy’s family to offer consular assistance and act as a liaison with local authorities to help obtain information on the case. Martin would not supply additional details, citing the Canadian Privacy Act.

This story is developing. Follow wordpress-257819-2837440.cloudwaysapps.com for updates.

Trending Now

46 US Veterans Tried Ayahuasca in Costa Rica, Where Rules Remain Murky

Forty-six American veterans and first responders drank ayahuasca at a Guanacaste retreat to ease combat trauma. Their stories are moving, but the evidence is thin and Costa Rica's rules remain unsettled.

Costa Rica’s Nosara Free Nature Trails Through Forests and Wetlands

Nosara is best known for its beaches, surfing and laid-back lifestyle, but visitors to this popular destination on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula have another...

Wha Happen? 13 Patois Phrases for Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast

Heading to Puerto Viejo or Cahuita? Learn 13 Mekatelyu phrases, from wha happen to mek wi go, before you go.

Thinking of Moving to Costa Rica? Put Puriscal at the Top of Your List

Anyone who has lived in Costa Rica for a while knows the question. A friend, a relative or a stranger online is thinking about...

Woman Accused of Forging Deeds to Take an American’s Property Deported to Costa Rica

Two Costa Ricans wanted since 2016, including a woman suspected of using forged deeds and powers of attorney to take property and money from...

Costa Rica’s Creepiest Ghost Stories and Mysterious Legends

Every society has tales of terror that challenge our imaginations and our courage. Costa Rica has folk tales that include a priest who lost...

Scarlet Macaws Start Nesting in Costa Rica, and You Can Watch Live

Scarlet macaws are pairing off on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. Watch 11 live nest cams, with first chicks due by January.

Gota a Gota Extortion Cases Keep Climbing in Costa Rica, OIJ Data Show

Extortion complaints tied to gota a gota loans in Costa Rica hit a record 935 in 2025, and 2026 is close behind.

Costa Rica Arrests Woman Suspected in Killing of American in Playas del Coco

Costa Rican authorities have arrested a 22-year-old woman suspected of killing an American businessman inside his condominium in Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, bringing an...
Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel