COSTA RICA -- A former apartment security guard at an Airbnb has been convicted of killing a tourist with ties to the Tampa Bay area, according to a report from Costa Rican newspaper La Nación.
ABC Action News was the first to tell you about the disappearance of Carla Stefaniak in Costa Rica back in 2018. On Monday, Bismarck Espinoza Martinez was found guilty of fatally stabbing Stefaniak, according to a report from La Nación.
The former security guard was sentenced to 16 years in prison, La Nación reports.
ABC Action News is in contact with Stefaniak's family in Costa Rica and is waiting for independent confirmation.
RELATED:
- Attorney for family of murdered tourist Carla Stefaniak says new evidence points to more suspects
- Carla Stefaniak: Body found on property in Costa Rica where missing Florida woman was staying
- Tampa family desperate for answers after woman goes missing during trip to Costa Rica
"My sister was brutally killed," said Mario Caicedo back in January.
Caicedo told ABC Action News earlier in the trial that Stefaniak's killer's guilty conviction could be the start of some closure for his family.
"However, we think we will never be over this because the emptiness in our hearts is going to be present for the rest of our lives," he previously told ABC Action News.
The former security guard was hired to ensure the safety for guests like Stefaniak at the Costa Rica Airbnb.
This is a developing story. Stay with ABC Action News for updates.
