MONTREAL - A 60-year-old Quebec man was found dead three days ago in Costa Rica and his family told QMI Agency Thursday that they aren't buying the official story.

Serge Gravel was found dead in a room he was renting on the West Coast of Costa Rica. He reportedly had three bullet wounds in his chest.

The family said that Costa Rican authorities think Gravel committed suicide.

Denise Gravel, the victim's sister, told QMI Agency that the official theory is not believable.

"The family doesn't believe that he killed himself," she said. "How does one shoot themselves three times in the thorax? To me, the second and third shot seem physically impossible."

Denise said she learned of her brother's death through a provincial police officer who gave her a contact at Foreign Affairs.

However, she said the federal government was not particularly helpful.

"The only information (the Foreign Affairs employee) told me that was my brother was at the morgue and that there was no other information," she said.

Denise said her brother moved to the Central American country after his January retirement. She said she last saw him in May and he seemed in good spirits.

"He seemed very, very happy," she said. "We received messages from him about 10 days ago, saying he was having a lot of fun."

Denise said that she and her family are hoping that Costa Rican authorities and the federal government investigate the death further.