TICO BULL – It’s almost three weeks since Ryan Piercy disappeared. Being a public figure in the expat community, Ryan’s disappearance has been a constant topic among foreigners living in Costa Rica.
Unfortunately no information is available, only speculation.
What we do know is that his disappearance, in the words of Francisco Segura, director of the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ), is under mysterious circumstances, after police finding his car in a coffee plantation (cafetal in Spanish), with its doors open on Tuesday, January 20th.
On Wednesday, January 21, Segura said on television that they were investigating both the possibility that Ryan was abducted or chose to disappear himself.
We have not heard anything since from Segura or anyone at the OIJ, for that matter.
Both OIJ investigators and the family are not talking. Nor are the employees of the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) and Casa Canada, both companies run by Ryan.
In the time since Ryan disappeared several stories have been published in the press, mainly by the Spanish language dailie, rehashing more of the same. One daily, the Diario Extra, a newspaper reputed for its exaggeration and accused of making up stories, assures Ryan has been kidnapped and kidnappers are demanding a US$500.000 ransom. In a follow up article, the Diario Extra, said that Ryan’s son was also missing. This proved to be false, Alejandro is safe and well.
But, the Diario Extra has also a history of getting information for “unofficial” sources from police investigations that with time vindicate its zealous rush to print stories that seem farfetched at the time.
My reports on Ryan’s disappearance
- Disappearance Of Canadian Businessman Remains a Mystery
- No News Is Good News, Right?
- OIJ Continuing Its Exhaustive Search Of Missing Canadian
- Is Canadian Victim of Kidnapping?
- Disappearance of Canadian Intrigues Police
- OIJ Confirms Investigation Continues Into The Disappearance of Missing Canadian
A story in an online English language publication last Friday says the ARCR broke its silence on Thursday on the whereabouts of Ryan, telling members that the “organization’s general manager had been kidnapped”.
The information is said to come from a “101-word note” from Terry Wise, board president of the ARCR. The Q has tried, unsuccessful, to make contact with Wise to confirm or deny the story. The only response came from an ARCR email that our query has being forwarded.
The website American Expatriate Costa Rica says employees at ARCR administration are routinely deleting comments and questions about Ryan from their Internet Forum. The website reminds readers that the ARCR and Casa Canada are “for-profit companies, with fiduciary duties in the investment and insurance sphere”.
Ryan’s work at the ARCR has helped many expats seeking residency in Costa Rica, as well those considering retiring in the country. The ARCR runs monthly seminars for potential expats, as well publish the magazine, “El Residente”, a bimonthly newsletter featuring articles on immigration, residency and laws of Costa Rica.
In my days as editor and publisher of Inside Costa Rica, I was a contributor to the El Residente news articles. The last time I saw Ryan, before the Christmas holidays, we had discussed incorporating Q news in El Residente.
As to the speculations, let’s leave them at that.
