Ottawa upgrades travel advisory for Costa Rica after Canadian murdered

The murder of Canadian Brad Deering at his home in Costa Rica has prompted Ottawa to warn visitors to be extra vigilant in the Central American country that's generally been considered a safe destination.

Deering, a 42-year-old Vancouver investor who was living in an upscale suburb of the capital San Jose, was shot last Thursday in what was initially believed to be a home invasion by men dressed as security guards.

His body was found naked and handcuffed in a neighbour's yard and police believe he was killed trying to escape.

However, CTV News reports there's evidence Deering, who had been living in Costa Rica for eight years, may have been targeted by an investor after a deal went sour.

A private investigator told CTV News Deering is alleged to have been involved in scamming investors on deals involving pharmaceuticals and phony gold futures.

“I tend to believe that this was planned out in advance, this was directed right straight at Brad, for one reason or another," private eye Doug Smith said, citing information he received from Deering's associates. "There seems to be a plethora of reasons floating around."

Other reports have said Deering flaunted his wealth, which may have attracted thieves, who used their disguises to fool a security guard at the gated community into letting them in.

[ Related: Canadian feared kidnapped in Mexico ]

Whatever the reason, the Department of Foreign Affairs upgraded its travel advisory for Costa Rica in the wake of Deering's murder, urging travellers to "exercise a high degree of caution and be vigilant at all times due to increasing levels of violent crime."

Meanwhile, Mexico is once again in the spotlight after a B.C. man and his American friend disappeared from Puerto Vallarta earlier this month.

The Canadian Press reports Diego Hernandez, a 22-year-old martial-arts instructor from Port Coquitlam, B.C., and partner Craig Silva were last seen on May 8 after organizing a mixed martial-arts event in the popular resort destination. Police later found their truck.

Hernandez's mother, Melissa Canez told CP said she suspects the two were kidnapped after failing to pick up Silva's girlfriend as planned.

"As soon as she said they hadn't come back and they didn't answer their phones, for me, I knew somebody had my son against his will because he would not do that," she said. "He wouldn't just take off."

Canez was also concerned about how the police have handled the disappearances. Hernandez's girlfriend told his mother she filed a missing persons report within 48 hours, but a Mexican online newspaper said Puerto Vallarta's police chief claimed he didn't learn about it until five days after the men vanished, CP said.

She was also disturbed by a second-hand report that someone claimed to have seen the men being arrested the day they went missing. Canez told CP she has seen surveillance footage of an unidentified man using Silva's bank card at an ATM, and there is supposedly another video showing Hernandez withdrawing cash from another ATM as two masked people stood beside him.

Canez said she believes the disappearances may be tied to the mixed martial-arts event. She told CP her son was approached by someone a few days before the televised event went ahead demanding a percentage of the take.

"I was terrified," she said. "I said to him, 'You can't say no to those people...I think you should leave, like get on the plane right now.' "

[ Related: Where in the world is it safe to travel ]

The two men were thought to be carrying a substantial amount of cash to pay event expenses when they disappeared.

Hernandez has lived in Puerto Vallarta for two years. Canez said Canadian consular officials have provided little help. A Foreign affairs spokesperson said they were providing services to the family and were in touch with local authorities.

The department's travel advisory for Mexico warns that some parts of northern Mexico are extremely dangerous due to region's violent drug cartels but most major tourist areas aren't affected.

If you're wondering which countries are considered safe for travel and which aren't, CBC News has an interactive map that colour-codes the relative danger in different countries linking to Foreign Affairs travel advisories about them.