It reminds you of an American TV crime show. WHO TOOK TANDRA THORNBECK?
Tandra is a friendly 72-year old retired American living in Matasanos, Perez Zeledon. She bakes. She works at the farmer’s market and does pet and house sitting for other Americans. She lives near her brother Casey, and his wife and son. She has a lovely smile and chats with everyone on the bus and at the feria. She could be any expat. Now she has disappeared.

A year ago Carla Stefaniak disappeared, and was found in a shallow grave behind the Airbnb where she was staying in San Jose. Brian Hogue went missing for one year before he was found dead, killed as a target of a real estate scam. Cody Dial was lost in Corcovado Park, then his remains were found in 2016, using help from the indigenous people of the area. A few people have been kidnapped recently, then released after ransoms were paid. These cases are tremendously rare in Ticolandia.

Tandra’s regular taxi driver tried to pick her up to go to work on Friday at 7AM, but found no one at home. There were no signs of a break-in, and the dogs were calm. The Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ), searched Tandra’s house and property, but found nothing amiss. Her boss at the market has not heard from her. Neither have friends and family.

A possible break through! A possible Tandra sighting happened on Tuesday, in Las Lagunas, near Dominical. Jeff Weber and his wife came upon an older woman walking uphill in the full sun, without a hat, and seemingly without any water. They insisted on picking her up to carry her up the remainder of the hill. She was babbling in a mixture of English and German, they thought. She seemed disoriented. Jeff reported all this to the Where’s Tandra Facebook site. People were dubious of the report, as Tandra does not speak any German. Squabbles broke out among Tandra’s followers, and the group was disbanded. The Facebook group remains at https://facebook.com/groups/WheresTandra.

When Brian Hogue’s son was asked to comment on his father’s disappearance in 2017, he responded, “If we can’t solve this, Costa Rica’s reputation could change from one where people go to get away, to where you go to disappear.” Do they ever disappear intentionally?

It is widely accepted that the first 48 hours after a disappearance are crucial. Authorities must be notified. Friends and family must be informed, and questioned. Most homicides are by someone who knows the victim. Only the agents of the OIJ know who their suspects are, and how they are proceeding.

Yesterday, authorities searched Baru, a familiar place Tandra liked to visit. They found no one who had seen her. Tomorrow the OIJ is expanding their search, and incorporating experts in persons who have disappeared. The usual international crime hyenas have emerged, from fortune tellers, to witch doctors, to clairvoyants, to whack jobs. Everyone is united in wanting to find Tandra. Her poor family continues to suffer. The use of drones and sniffer dogs was apparently refused by the family. They were encouraged by a sighting of someone in Tandra-like sandals and a walking stick, but that has led nowhere so far.

Grief and depression have set in among searchers for Tandra. It has been exactly one week since she disappeared – far too long for a peaceful country, and a family who wants her back

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