Hell in Heaven: A Mysterious Death in Paradise

Episode 2: Trouble in the Valley

Host: Becky Milligan (Exactly Right/iHeartPodcasts)
Date: October 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the early years of John and Anne Bender, their romance, and their move to Costa Rica where they built a lavish mansion in the Diamante Valley. As their dream of paradise curdles under isolation, suspicious locals, failing health, and erratic behavior, the veneer of their sanctuary begins to crack, setting the stage for the tragedy to come. Interviews with neighbors, former staff, and family friends provide vital perspectives, while the host explores both the external pressures and internal struggles that led to their downfall.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. John and Anne’s Beginnings in Virginia

• First Meeting (02:02 – 04:58):
  • John, a wealthy Wall Street genius, meets Anne at a party on his Virginia farm. Their connection is immediate.
  • Both have histories of mental health struggles; Anne is forthcoming about her bipolar disorder, and John shares his battles with depression.
  • Their whirlwind romance leads to cohabitation within two weeks, and marriage within a year.
  • Quote - Carol Vaughan (author, 03:44):
    “They locked eyes across the punch bowl... It was love at first sight for both of them.”

2. The Costa Rican Dream Turns Fortress

• Arrival and Local Tension (06:03 – 08:20):
  • The Benders arrive in Costa Rica with enormous wealth—rumored to be $600 million.
  • Their futuristic, circular mansion, "Boracayan," is a source of gossip and suspicion among locals; they are seen as outsiders flaunting wealth, violating the local ethos of modesty.
• Neighborhood Perceptions (07:15; 07:37):
  • Quote – Nicole Kulvik, neighbor (07:15):
    “If you live in Costa Rica and you have money, they did kind of the opposite of what you’re supposed to do... You don’t build grand palaces calling attention to yourself.”
• John and Anne's Isolation (08:33 – 09:57):
  • John rarely leaves the estate; only travels by helicopter, always surrounded by armed guards.
  • Anne ventures out occasionally, often in disguise for privacy and safety reasons.
  • Quote – Jesse Bland, neighbor (08:54):
    “John never left the property except in the helicopter. He always had a machine gun guard with him... It’s like he totally lived in fear.”

3. The Fortress Mentality and Growing Paranoia

• Security and Silence (14:46 – 15:32):
  • Tight security measures—guards under strict orders not to talk about anything, even with their families.
  • Locals suspect links to crime due to secrecy.
  • Quote – Jesse Bland (14:46):
    “They were supposed to be totally silent and that was the rules. Total silence on everything.”
• Consequences for Local Community (15:45):
  • Some locals who sold land to the Benders squandered their sudden wealth, breeding resentments and sorrow.
  • Anne later acknowledges local anger: “There was a sense of, who are these rich gringos? And who the hell do they think they are?”

4. 'Dark Energy' in the Valley

• Superstition and Energetic Unrest (17:01 – 18:48):
  • The Diamante Valley, known as Las Tumbas (“the tombs”), is considered energetically strange.
  • Local spiritualist Jose describes it as a site of ancient indigenous trauma and energetic imbalance, implying the land itself is “sick.”
  • Quote – Jose, local healer (17:40):
    “...the land was very sick because there’s a lot of people in the area... foreigners come and do things without meditating or consulting with the land.”

5. Day-to-Day Life and Staff Insights

• Former Staff Perspective (20:12 – 23:35):
  • Osvaldo Rojas, former head of staff, recalls John’s controlling behavior and obsessive love for orchids and animals—with angry outbursts if things went wrong.
  • Quote – Osvaldo Rojas (21:17):
    “One night, an anteater managed to get in and ate all the ants. That was a huge problem for John. A guard even got fired over that.”
  • Staff always communicated with Anne via walkie-talkies; cleaning and other routines strictly controlled for privacy.
  • Both Benders begin living highly reclusive lives inside the fortress-like estate.

6. Anne’s Declining Health and John’s Desperate Measures

• Lyme Disease Revelation (23:35 – 24:56):
  • It is believed Anne contracted Lyme disease from a Virginia deer tick. Misdiagnosed, it ravages her body and mental health.
  • Osvaldo notes:
    “She looked burned out. Over time, her physical and mental health was in decline. That beautiful, spectacular woman we met when she arrived just vanished.” (24:56)
• John’s Attempts at Jungle Medicine (25:16 – 27:31):
  • John turns to jungle plants, making herbal concoctions to treat Anne when conventional medicine fails.
  • Quote – John Corvik (25:31):
    “There’s a little plant that would grow right next to our farm. It tastes terrible... when you have dysentery... you drink a couple cups... All of a sudden it’s all gone.”
  • Friends and family testify to John’s devotion, though his background is far from medical.

7. Fracturing Relationship and Increasing Reclusiveness

• Anne Withdraws, John Obsessive (29:03 – 29:57):
  • Anne seeks treatment at a private hospital, sometimes traveling abroad; she becomes increasingly isolated, “trapped” in the house, if not physically, then mentally.
  • Osvaldo hints at deeper struggles:
    “...there are more things I would like to say, but I just can’t because I might get in trouble.” (29:51)
  • He observes:
    “One would imagine this is a beautiful couple. But it was exactly the opposite.” (30:01)

8. Foreshadowing the Oncoming Collapse

• Outside World Intrudes (30:31 – 32:15):
  • Introduction of “Michael,” an ex-mercenary, who hints at being contracted to forcibly “intercept” John Bender and send him back to the U.S.
  • The episode ends on this ominous note, promising revelations about who wanted John ‘intercepted’ and why.
  • Quote – Michael, played by actor (31:24):
    “Basically, I don’t like the term... mercy... but basically, that’s what it is.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Host Becky Milligan (02:02):
  “Virginia March 1998... this is where John and Anne’s story together begins, but it’s also the setting for a cruel twist of fate that would set in motion increasingly bizarre behavior, a slow retreat from reality.”

• Nicole Kulvik, neighbor (07:37):
  “Their palace in the distance... stuck out like a sore thumb.”

• Osvaldo Rojas, head of staff (21:29):
  “A guard even got fired over that [ants].”

• Neighbor Jesse Bland on new arrivals (13:22):
  “I always say we were escaping something. Some of them were criminals too. Lots of foreign criminals come to Costa Rica escaping, if you want to say justice.”

• Osvaldo Rojas on the couple’s relationship (30:01):
  “One would imagine this is a beautiful couple. But it was exactly the opposite.”

• 'Michael' (31:24):
  “I was contracted by a third party to kind of intercept Mr. Bender and send him to the States. So we worked on intelligence to get Mr. Bender’s whereabouts, and when we did, we mounted an intervention…”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• John & Anne’s First Meeting, Courtship: 02:02 – 04:58
• Move to Costa Rica, Estate Construction: 06:03 – 08:20
• Local Neighbors’ Perspectives: 08:33 – 10:12; 13:22 – 15:32
• Valley’s ‘Dark Energy’ & Spirituality: 17:01 – 18:48
• Staff Perspective on Life in the Mansion: 20:12 – 23:35
• Anne’s Health Crisis & John’s Home Remedies: 23:35 – 27:31
• Relationship Erodes, Anne’s Isolation: 29:03 – 29:57
• Introduction of 'Michael' and Foreshadowing: 30:31 – 32:15

Tone and Style

The episode is narrated with a blend of journalistic rigor, suspense, and empathy, blending vivid scene-setting with careful witness testimony. The tone is immersive and slightly ominous, as the host guides listeners through both physical landscapes and emotional territory, always returning to the theme: How did paradise become a prison—and ultimately, a crime scene?

To be continued: The next episode promises to probe who ordered John’s forced returns, as the valley’s sinister currents pull the Benders even deeper into trouble.