Costa Rican leader tells KU chancellor he is committed to solving murder case

LAWRENCE -- The Costa Rican government is "committed to seeing that the cruel murder of Shannon Martin, which has caused so much pain, be solved," Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco assured University of Kansas Chancellor Robert E. Hemenway in a recent letter.

Pacheco's letter, dated Feb. 24, arrived as two KU officials leave today for San Jose, where they will be briefed by Costa Rican officials on the status of the murder case. Martin, a KU student, was stabbed to death in Golfito in May 2001.

In early February, Hemenway had requested the briefing and urged President Pacheco to see that officials pursued "every available legal avenue" to solve the crime and bring the murderer to justice.

While in San Jose Wednesday through Saturday, Jeffery Weinberg, assistant to the chancellor, and Diana Carlin, dean of the graduate school and international programs, will meet with Jorge Rojas, director of the Organization of Judicial Investigation, and Lineth Soborio, Costa Rica's vice president. Soborio previously was director of the OIJ.

Weinberg and Carlin also will deliver to Costa Rican officials a letter from Martin's family.

The sole purpose of the Weinberg and Carlin San Jose trip originally was to meet with University of Costa Rica officials until Costa Rican officials responded to Hemenway's request. KU and the University of Costa Rica have a 45-year-old exchange agreement, the oldest inter-university exchange in the Western Hemisphere.

In July 2001, Hemenway helped arrange a meeting between Martin's mother and Miguel Angel Rodriguez, then president of Costa Rica, in Washington, D.C., and engaged the Kansas Congressional delegation in monitoring the murder investigation.

The full text (translated) of President Pacheco's letter to Chancellor Hemenway:

February 24, 2003

Honorable Mr. Chancellor
Robert E. Hemenway
University of Kansas
Strong Hall
1450 Jayhawk Boulevard
Room 230
Lawrence Kansas 66045-7535
USA

Honorable Sir:

It is my pleasure to write you now, in response to your kind note of February 3.

My Government is committed to seeing that the cruel murder of Shannon Martin, which has caused so much pain, be solved as quickly as possible. It is in that spirit that we have requested that the officials of the Agency of Judicial Investigation continue dedicating their best efforts to this matter and that they offer all their attention to Mr. Weinberg and Mrs. Carlin, during their visit to our country in March.

In the name of the People and Government of Costa Rica, I appreciate the repeated and sincere demonstrations of warmth that we have received, over so many years, from the distinguished University in your charge, and I would like to take this opportunity to send you my highest regards.

(signed) Abel Pacheco

Abel Pacheco de la Espriella
President of the Republic