A California surfing legend was found dead in what appeared to be a robbery at his home in Costa Rica, according to the country’s authorities.Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) said Monday they are investigating the weekend killing of 66-year-old Kurt Van Dyke. Authorities found Van Dyke dead on Saturday under a bed at his apartment in the Caribbean coastal town of Cahuita.Two men armed with at least one gun had broken into Van Dyke’s home and threatened both the surfer and his 31-year-old girlfriend, according to the OIJ and local reports. The girlfriend said the men zip tied her while they stole valuables from the home, including a vehicle.Van Dyke died at the scene, while the woman escaped with minor injuries, authorities said.“He was asphyxiated and had several stab wounds,” OIJ spokesperson Carlos Valverde said in a statement. The case remains under investigation while authorities wait for autopsy results to determine an official cause of death.Van Dyke hailed from California and is considered a legend in the surfing community. He also came from a well-known surfing family ― his late mother, Betty Van Dyke, fought to create space within the surfing community for women. His father, Gene Van Dyke, was a notable surfer in northern California, according to The Associated Press.The slain surfer also owned a budget-friendly hotel in nearby Puerto Viejo that was frequented by tourists.“My brother was a very benevolent, giving person who would help just about anybody,” Kurt’s brother Peter Van Dyke told the San Francisco Chronicle. “Kurt would never hurt anybody, and he was always there when you needed him. Everyone that he met knew this about him.”Close