Michael Caspi Fedida, 40, a well-known tennis coach and businessman, was killed three weeks ago outside his hotel. He was a successful tennis coach who planned to open a tennis facility and condo development in Costa Rica.
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On Tuesday, Fedida's mother and brother visited his home, which includes an indoor tennis court where he taught some of the best young tennis players.
"It's very difficult. We're still in shock. We're can't believe that Mickey is not with us," said brother Simon Fedida.
Fedida, whose family called him "Mickey," grew up in Israel where he was the top-ranked tennis player in his early teens before coming to the U.S. for a successful professional career.
Flowers were left outside his tennis academy in Riverwoods where Fedida taught.
His family said Fedida loved Costa Rica where he planned to open a big tennis complex with a hotel and condos.
"For 15 years he was back and forth to Costa Rica so this was the biggest dream in his life," Simon Fedida said.
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Fedida was visiting the capitol city of San Jose for business meetings about the development when several men approached him early in the morning, shooting him several times and stealing his briefcase which contained cash.
His family said they have heard nothing about any leads from police in Costa Rica.
"I hope those murderers are going to be caught, but the family is really broken. He left us with a big hole," Simon Fedida said.
His family speculates Mickey's killers may have had some conflict involving the real estate development he was working on.
Fedida's family believe the FBI is helping Costa Rican authorities in the investigation, however, an FBI spokesperson would not confirm.