West
California surfer murdered in apparent robbery at his home in Costa Rica: reports
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A prominent surfer from California was murdered at his home in Costa Rica during an apparent break-in over the weekend, according to reports.
Kurt Van Dyke, a 66-year-old expatriate who owned a hotel in the Costa Rican town of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, was found dead Saturday inside his apartment, the Tico Times reported.
A preliminary exam indicated that Van Dyke’s body showed signs of asphyxiation and multiple stab wounds, the outlet reported.
Van Dyke, a native of Santa Cruz, California, was in the apartment Saturday morning when two armed men stormed inside, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The men then held Van Dyke and his 31-year-old girlfriend, whom he shared the apartment with, in a room.
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Kurt Van Dyke, 66, was reportedly murdered at his home in Costa Rica over the weekend. (Facebook/ Kurt Van Dyke)
The girlfriend survived the ordeal and told authorities that the men had bound her hands and feet with zip ties and assaulted her, according to the report. At some point during the incident, Van Dyke was killed, she said.
The girlfriend also said the men stole some of the couple’s valuables, including a 2013 Hyundai Elantra.
Van Dyke was a prominent surfer in his native Santa Cruz, California, and in the surfing community in Costa Rica. (Facebook/ Kurt Van Dyke)
Security footage from the scene showed the two suspects fleeing the property in the Elantra and a second vehicle, the report said.
No arrests have been made, and officials have yet to announce a motive.
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Van Dyke’s brother, Peter Van Dyke, remembered his brother as a kind soul in a text message to the Chronicle.
“My brother was a very benevolent, giving person who would help just about anybody,” Peter Van Dyke said. “Kurt would never hurt anybody, and he was always there when you needed him. Everyone that he met knew this about him.”
A tree is pictured on Punta Uva beach in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica. (DEA / V. Giannella)
Officials in Costa Rica said that Van Dyke’s death shocked the community.
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“I am deeply saddened,” Roger Sams, president of Costa Rica’s Southern Caribbean Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, told Costa Rican newspaper La Nación in Spanish. “We’ve had a long period of calm and tranquility.… This shocks and saddens us because the Caribbean has been so peaceful.”
Van Dyke had developed a notable reputation among Santa Cruz’s surfing community before permanently settling in Costa Rica, where his skill surfing big waves earned him the moniker of “King” from the local surfing community, the Chronicle reported.
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West
LAPD officer hit with felony charges after allegedly skydiving while collecting full disability benefits
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Officials on Wednesday accused a Los Angeles police officer of insurance fraud after he allegedly went skydiving multiple times while collecting full disability benefits.
Christopher Brandon Carnahan, 43, of Norwalk, was charged Monday after allegedly exaggerating an on-duty injury sustained in 2023, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Carnahan is a veteran officer who has been with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) 18 years, according to WatchTheWatchers.net, citing California public records.
“This case is about honesty and accountability,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement.
Christopher Brandon Carnahan appears to skydive at Skydive Elsinore in Lake Elsinore. (District Attorney’s Office for the Los Angeles County District)
“Claiming to be temporarily totally disabled and collecting disability benefits intended for injured workers while engaging in physically demanding activities like skydiving is a crime. This is an officer who knows the law and understands the standards he is sworn to uphold.”
On May 22, 2023, Carnahan claimed he injured his left elbow while on duty and was subsequently placed on temporary totally disabled (TTD) status, officials said.
Police under TTD are entitled to receive 100% of their base salary tax-free for up to a year and then two-thirds afterward if the injury persists.
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Surveillance footage captures Carnahan working out at a fitness center with dumbbells. (District Attorney’s Office for the Los Angeles County District)
Contrary to claims of being completely disabled, Carnahan allegedly engaged in strenuous physical activity, including working out and completing “many skydives” at Skydive Elsinore in Lake Elsinore, south of Los Angeles.
The District Attorney’s Office also released photos showing what appears to be Carnahan skydiving and exercising at a fitness center. In one image, dated May 23, 2024, the LAPD officer is seen holding dumbbells in a motion that involves his elbows.
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A Los Angeles Police Department vehicle is parked in the city. (Los Angeles Police Department)
He faces two counts of felony insurance fraud and is being held on $100,000 bail. If convicted, Carnahan could be sentenced to six years in jail.
The LAPD, which is investigating the case, is expected to review Carnahan’s employment status pending the outcome of his criminal trial.
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San Francisco, CA
Hundreds Rally in San Francisco Against U.S.-Israel Strikes on Iran | KQED
She acknowledged that Iranian Americans hold a range of political views, including some who support U.S. intervention, but said she believes the future of Iran should be determined by its people.
“The Iranian people in Iran can decide the future of their country,” she said. “War, I don’t think, is going to help.”
Speaking to the crowd, Mortazavi challenged what she described as a narrative that Iranians broadly support U.S. and Israeli military action.
“They want you to believe that every Iranian … is cheering on the United States and Israel,” she said. “That is unequivocally false.”
She urged attendees to continue organizing beyond the rally and announced plans for additional demonstrations.
Dina Saadeh, an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement, said multiple groups mobilized quickly in response to the strikes.
“I’m angered today,” Saadeh told KQED. “People here don’t want to see our country engaged in more endless war.”
Saadeh described the protest as part of a broader effort to oppose sanctions, military escalation and what she called U.S. imperialism. She said participants were calling on elected officials to redirect public funds toward domestic needs.
“People want money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation,” she said.
KQED’s María Fernanda Bernal contributed to this story.
Denver, CO
Police searching for information after fatal assault in Denver
Denver police are looking for information that could help them identify the suspect in a fatal assault overnight.
Officers were called to the scene in the 9700 block of E. Hampden Avenue around 2:08 a.m. They said an injured man at the scene was taken to a hospital for treatment, but he has been pronounced deceased.
DPD says they’re investigating the case as a homicide. They did not provide the identity of the man who was killed or further details on the case.
Police encouraged anyone with information about the attack or the possible suspect(s) involved to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.
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