Seventeen months after Shannon Martin was stabbed to death while studying in Costa Rica, her mother is making her third trip to the Central American country in hopes of sparking progress in the murder case.

Jeanette Stauffer of Topeka fears the investigation is at a standstill and that her daughter’s murder could go unsolved without her involvement.

Two suspects have been in custody since July and a third since May, but none has been charged with the murder of the former Kansas University honors student.

“After the arrests, the OIJ thought there would be a trial in September,” Stauffer said, referring to the Costa Rican equivalent of the FBI. “Then I was told October. Now, they don’t know when it will be. All they’ll say is that we’ve not made any progress.

“That’s why I’m going back,” she said. “I’ve been told by many government officials in the United States and in Costa Rica that I have to stay vocal, stay visible and let them know that I’m not going away.”

Martin, a 23 year-old ecology and evolutionary biology student, was found dead early May 13, 2001, on a dark road less than 40 yards from her host family’s home in the small coastal town of Golfito. She had suffered 15 stab wounds to the arm, abdomen and neck.

The semester after Martin’s death, KU’s Office of Study Abroad closed its environmental studies program in Golfito.

Officials at the OIJ will not comment on any developments in the case since the July arrests. But OIJ legal counsel Martin Matamoros said he was confident the case would move forward.

“Freedom here, the same as in the States, is something very valuable, and judges do not order prison to anyone unless there are at least some leads,” Matamoros said.

Likewise, Stauffer’s attorney, Pedro Irigonegaray of Topeka, said he believed those responsible eventually would be brought to trial, but he said Stauffer’s continued involvement in the case could play a role.

“A committed parent in this type of case can make a difference. With murders, after a particular period of time, the trails tend to go cold,” said Irigonegaray, who is working on the case without fee. “She’s kept this investigation alive. She’s kept public interest on it.”

Still, Stauffer said her frustration was mounting as repeated attempts to get even basic information from Costa Rican officials prove fruitless.

Part of Stauffer’s weeklong agenda of meetings with various Costa Rican and U.S. officials will be devoted to planning a computer-based English language school and technology center in Golfito.

Space for the center has been donated by the Costa Rican Coast Guard. Stauffer said she was trying to secure computer and software donations.

During her stay, Stauffer also plans to set up an American Legion auxiliary in Golfito in order to bring local volunteers together for projects, such as organizing a town library and distributing safety reflectors for bicycles. Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop, 802 Mass., donated several dozen reflector packs for Stauffer to take on this trip.

“We’re going to do good things for people in Golfito, and I’m doing them in memory of Shannon.” Stauffer said. “Shannon loved Golfito and the people of Golfito.”