Guilty Verdict in Martin Murder
Judges convicted two people in the stabbing death of a University of Kansas student on Monday. A third person was found innocent.

Kattia Cruz, 28, and Luis Alberto Castro, 38, were found guilty of murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison for the killing of Shannon Martin, a 23-year-old student from Topeka, Kan.

Martin was stabbed to death on May 13, 2001, after she left a nightclub in Golfito, 100 miles south of San Jose.

A third person accused in the killing, Rafael Zumbado Quesada, 48, was found innocent of all charges by the three-judge court.

Cruz and Castro were absolved of more serious charges of "qualified" - or premeditated - homicide, which could have carried a sentence of more than 30 years. They received the maximum sentence for so-called "simple homicide."

"We don't have evidence to support that they wanted to kill (Martin) from the beginning, nor that they wanted to rob her," said the lead judge, reading the court's decision. "But Kattia and Luis Alberto killed Shannon, that we know for sure."

Although the judges found no clear motive, one witness at the trial admitted serving as a middleman as Cruz tried to sell one of Martin's earrings.

Martin's mother, Jeanette Stauffer, cried after the verdict and declined to comment.

She expressed confidence in the court earlier in the day.

"I know that the court will evaluate all the proof in order to decide if these three people are responsible," Stauffer said.

The trial was besieged by threats to several witnesses, including Stauffer, who hired private security guards.

Cruz and Castro listened to the verdict with little change of expression.

Acquitted, Zumbado wept in court. He is being held by authorities in connection with a separate killing.

In its decision, the court cited the discovery of torn fabric at the crime scene that witnesses linked to a shirt worn by Cruz. Castro was seen with scratches on his throat shortly after the crime, according to other court testimony.

Prosecutors and the family of Martin had asked judges to impose the maximum penalty of 35 years against all three people accused in the killing.

Asking for the maximum sentence, Juan Carlos Arce, attorney for Martin's family, and prosecutor Erick Martinez noted that Martin had been stabbed 14 times.

Martin was in the country to gather specimens for a biology project at the time of her death.
 

Union Leaders Say Protest March Was a Success
A call by union leaders to march on presidential house yesterday saw hundreds of people - far short of the estimated 12.000 announced last week that would take part.
 

Protestors gathered on Second Avenue (Avenida Segunda) shortly after 10am, but it wasn't until the ICE workers, who had marched from the Sabana, an hour later that the  protest took like. With songs, dancers and loud speakers telling their message, marchers made they way to presidential house in Zapote for an audience with President Pacheco.

The mood at the Presidential House was calm. Police had cordoned off the front gates and side streets and were ready in case of any problems.

The march lasted about three hours from the start and ended quietly when it became evident that Pacheco nor any other government official would respond to their calls.

Click here for fotos of the protest march.

 

Two Groups Volunteer in Costa Rica
Members of a De Moines, Iowa, Johnston church and the local Lions Club distributed 700 pairs of used eyeglasses during a trip to San Jose, Costa Rica.

Johnston Lions Club members joined forces with a missionary group from St. Paul Presbyterian Church, 6426 Merle Hay Road in Johnston, to fulfill a common goal. Together, the group of 22 traveled from Johnston to San Jose from Oct. 24 to Nov. 2.

"The unique aspect of this trip was the combination of a faith-based group with the Lions," said club member Lyle Kreps of Johnston, who organized the trip. Kreps has helped arrange mission trips to Hungary, Belize, Venezuela and Russia through his own church.

"It took six months to organize this trip," Kreps said of efforts to coordinate transportation, reservations, health insurance, meals, translators and work projects.

He typically schedules a 10-day mission trip, but always adds several tourist days to keep a good balance between work and play.

During their stay, Lions Club members set up an eyeglass-fitting station at a Presbyterian church in San Jose, meeting their goal to assist individuals with sight or hearing needs. The group tested eyes and distributed reconditioned glasses to Costa Ricans.

"This turned out to be a very successful project," Kreps said.

Church members helped paint and make repairs to the Presbyterian church in San Jose.

"We worked in the poorer part of San Jose," Lions President Dennis Meyer said. "Yet, I was surprised at how overall developed Costa Rica is. I think it is ahead of other Central American countries.

"This was really the experience of a lifetime for me," added Meyer, who felt he made many new friendships, both with fellow travelers and people in San Jose.

"I think one of the things that impacted me the most was that we were able to touch other people's lives, and yet somehow will never quite know the full ramifications of it," he said.

"The trip was very humbling, and I think almost everyone said they received more than they gave," Kreps said. "These trips help people to realize how wealthy we are in the U.S. We're really very fortunate."

Kreps said the trip was partially financed by an anonymous donor, who originally approached the members of the Lions Club asking them to select a strong service project. Lions Club participants made a slide presentation of their trip at a recent meeting, at which the donor was present.

"I think our donor was impressed with what we had accomplished," Kreps said. "He said, 'There's more where that came from."