Costa Rican authorities, with the help of Interpol, turned Henry de la Hoz over to U.S. Marshals last week to be returned to Miami to serve out a 12-year prison sentence. De la Hoz had been sentenced in absentia for killing retirees Victor and Olga Lisabet on Easter of 2003, as they headed to celebrate Easter mass with fellow worshipers. De la Hoz had spent the night before the tragedy in a sports bar, drinking for many hours before crashing into the Lisabets on south Miami-Dade’s South Dixie Highway.
The drunken De la Hoz was taken into custody at the scene, and later pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter. On the eve of his sentencing, however, de la Hoz fled to Costa Rica where he has been living for the last 16 years, undetected by authorities.
Last week Costa Rican authorities captured de la Hoz, and this week turned him over to U.S. Marshals to be returned to Miami to serve out his 12-year prison sentence. De la Hoz had been living and working in Costa Rica, first in construction in towns along the Pacific coast, then as a tattoo artist in Puntarenas. He had married and had a child there. He and his wife founded a charity for low income children to teach them jiu-jitsu. De la Hoz is now 46 years old.
The Lisabet’s children never gave up hope that de la Hoz would be captured and brought to justice. Their son Victor Lisabet commented about the arrest, “I didn’t lose hope, I was going to spend the rest of my life looking for him.”
The day of de la Hoz’s sentencing was very dramatic. The Lisabet family was prepared to read impact statements about the loss of their dear parents. Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) had packed the courtroom to support the family. De la Hoz’s defense lawyer was prepared to make a statement. But de la Hoz never appeared, he was already on his way to Costa Rica.
Interpol located and arrested de la Hoz in March of this year. His efforts to avoid extradition were unsuccessful, and in April U.S. Marshals flew to Costa Rica to take him into custody. Said Victor Lisabet about the tragedy, “The scars run deep inside and will never heal. I think of my parents every day. It hurts like hell that my kids, Olga and James, never got to meet them and grew up without their love and affection.”
De la Hoz’s new attorney has stated, “Henry would like to tell the family he is sorry. He knows his leaving was the wrong thing to do. He is here to serve out his sentence.”
The drunken De la Hoz was taken into custody at the scene, and later pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter. On the eve of his sentencing, however, de la Hoz fled to Costa Rica where he has been living for the last 16 years, undetected by authorities.
Last week Costa Rican authorities captured de la Hoz, and this week turned him over to U.S. Marshals to be returned to Miami to serve out his 12-year prison sentence. De la Hoz had been living and working in Costa Rica, first in construction in towns along the Pacific coast, then as a tattoo artist in Puntarenas. He had married and had a child there. He and his wife founded a charity for low income children to teach them jiu-jitsu. De la Hoz is now 46 years old.
The Lisabet’s children never gave up hope that de la Hoz would be captured and brought to justice. Their son Victor Lisabet commented about the arrest, “I didn’t lose hope, I was going to spend the rest of my life looking for him.”
The day of de la Hoz’s sentencing was very dramatic. The Lisabet family was prepared to read impact statements about the loss of their dear parents. Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) had packed the courtroom to support the family. De la Hoz’s defense lawyer was prepared to make a statement. But de la Hoz never appeared, he was already on his way to Costa Rica.
Interpol located and arrested de la Hoz in March of this year. His efforts to avoid extradition were unsuccessful, and in April U.S. Marshals flew to Costa Rica to take him into custody. Said Victor Lisabet about the tragedy, “The scars run deep inside and will never heal. I think of my parents every day. It hurts like hell that my kids, Olga and James, never got to meet them and grew up without their love and affection.”
De la Hoz’s new attorney has stated, “Henry would like to tell the family he is sorry. He knows his leaving was the wrong thing to do. He is here to serve out his sentence.”
