San Jose, Costa Rica ? Police arrested two men suspected of participating in the killing of an American student last year, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Luis Alberto Castro and Rafael Zumbado were taken into custody on Monday in Golfito, 190 miles south of San Jose, prosecutor Erick Martinez said.

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They are suspected of participating in the death of Shannon Martin, who was fatally stabbed May 13, 2001, as she walked home from a disco in Golfito. The 23-year-old from Topeka, Kansas, was in Costa Rica finishing a research project on ferns, and her death came seven days before she was scheduled to graduate with honors from Kansas University

Another suspect, Kattia Cruz, was arrested in November and accused of carrying out the killing.

Martinez said the two men were suspected from the beginning, but officials were unable to gather enough evidence against them until now.

“We hope with this we can close the case,” Martinez said.

All three have been charged with homicide and face 20 to 35 years in jail, he said.

Cruz had told prosecutors that Castro and Zumbado stabbed Martin to death, but the two men have blamed the killing on Cruz, Martinez said.

The motive was unclear, but police have ruled out robbery and sexual assault.

Martinez said the trial could begin in the next few months.

Lynn Bretz, director of University Relations at KU, said the university community was gratified by the arrests.

“The university and Shannon’s friends and family have waited a long time for these arrests to occur,” Bretz said. “We thank the Costa Rican government and law enforcement authorities for their persistent and vigilant pursuit of justice in this senseless killing.”