Body of U.S. Man Found
Police said Tuesday they were investigating the stabbing death of a U.S. man whose body was found in a water storage tank outside the house he rented.

A maintenance worker on Dec. 19 found the body of Arne R. Hedlof, 59, of Indiana, in the beach resort of Jacó,southwest of San Jose, said Carlos Venegas, the Organiso de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) investigator in charge of the case.

The cleaner opened up the tank because it was emitting a foul smell, Venegas said.

Venegas said Hedlof had been stabbed numerous times and the OIJ is searching for a man seen going into the house a few days before the body was found and were trying to determine a motive.

Officials at the U.S. Embassy confirmed Hedlof had been killed but declined to comment further.

Hedlof's friends said they believe his friendly nature was his downfall.

"He was a good man, a hell of a mechanic," said Hal Milby, who knew Hedlof for 20 years. "He taught me a lot. He was always trying to help people out. I think that's what got him in trouble in Costa Rica."

Hedlof lived in the Crown Point , Indiana, area most of his life. He was an auto mechanic and service manager at several car dealerships, Dillabaugh said. Hedlof also had his own auto repair and lawn mower sharpening business out of his home.

He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving as a helicopter crew chief in Vietnam.

Hedlof retired from the Youche Country Club and moved to Costa Rica in late September - following the lure of a friend who spoke of the beauty of Jacó.

Friends say they saw Hedlof for the last time in early December. He came home for two weeks to put his affairs in order and talked about a potential job offer at a resort hotel. Dillabaugh dropped Hedlof off at a bus stop in Merrillville on Dec. 1.

"He seemed very happy to be going back there," said Dillabaugh, who became friends with Hedlof when they were 8 years old. "It just didn't turn out the way he thought it was going to."

Heidbreder said Hedlof may have had a lot of cash with him. He was making arrangements to open a bank account, but had some trouble because he wasn't a permanent resident.

"He was a very trusting soul," Heidbreder said. "He wasn't looking for a handout, but he always had his hand out to meet people. He never met a stranger."

Hedlof is survived by his twin brother, Einar Hedlof, of Milwaukee; brother Maynard Hedlof, of Spring, Texas; and sister Janet Frazee, of Crown Point. His parents, Ernest and Ellen Hedlof, preceded him in death.