A call to 911 reported an alleged person deceased inside the Hotel Del Rey, in downtown San Jose. Minutes later, paramedics arriving at the scene confirmed the body of a foreigner who had died in one of the guest rooms.
Police were called.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Public Security (MSP), when police arrived hotel security prevented the officers from entering the property. However, after asserting judicial authority, they forced their way into the hotel.
The statement by the MPS to the press Thursday afternoon said:
“The hotel management and private security did not want to provide details of what had happened, nor tell the officers where the body was in order to hinder their work.
“In the face of the adverse situation that the officers faced, three hotel security personnel and the hotel manager were arrested for using intimidation against the officers and hindering the execution of tasks proper to the legitimate exercise of the officers. This exposes them to imprisonment for up to 3 years (resistance)”.
What really happened?
According to the MSP and sources close the Q, it was around 1:00 pm when a call was made to the emergency services of a man unconscious man in one of the rooms.
According to the paramedics, the foreigner, a U.S. citizen whose identity was not released to the public, had been lifeless for more than 24 hours due to his state of rigidity.
Police has to force their way into the hotel, and proceeded to seal off the exits and safeguarded the scene, waiting on agents of the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) to arrive to commence the investigation and remove the body.
By late afternoon, after 5:00 pm, authorities indicated of an apparent suicide, due to several ‘farewell’ notes found in the room.
The security personnel arrested were identified by their last names Barboza, Rodríguez and Rivas, while the last name of the woman (manager) is Montero.
The hotel would return calls to learn of their version of the event.
