3 surfers from Australia and the U.S. were killed in Mexico’s Baja California

On this gorgeous, relatively uninhabited stretch of the Pacific coast of Baja California, two Australians and an American were doing what they loved. Their last images on social media showed them sitting and gazing at the waves.

A passing pickup truck full of people with bad intentions could have been the cause of their death. The surfers were shot in the head, their bodies dumped in a covered well miles away. What we are aware of is this:.

Who were the victims?

Brothers Jake and Callum Robinson from Australia and American Jack Carter Rhoad had apparently stopped to surf the breaks between Punta San José, about 50 miles south of Ensenada, and La Bocana, further north on the coast.

Callum Robinson’s Instagram page showed several images from the trio’s Mexico trip: enjoying beers with their feet up in a bar, lazing in a jacuzzi, eating roadside tacos, looking out at the surf.

At six feet four, Callum had participated in U.S. S. The lacrosse world was “heartbroken by the tragic loss” of the three, according to a statement posted on the Premier Lacrosse League’s website.

“We offer our hearts, support and prayers to the Robinson and Rhoad Families, as well as all who loved Callum, Jake and Jack,” it said.

On social media, his devastated girlfriend shared a black and white photo of the couple kissing, with the message: “You are one of one. I will love you forever. “.

Her heart is broken into a million pieces, she wrote in a caption for a different picture she posted of the two cuddling. Right now I am at a loss for words. “.

Jake Robinson was a doctor in Perth, according to Australian media.

Engaged, Rhoad was scheduled to wed Natalie Weirtz in August. 17 in Columbus, Ohio, according to a Zola online wedding registry. As of Tuesday morning, more than $57,000 had been raised via a GoFundMe that was created to “rally support for Natalie.”.

“In the wake of the heartbreaking loss of Carter Rhoad, Callum Robinson, and Jake Robinson, our hearts ache with grief for their families, friends, and community,” reads a separate GoFundMe set up for Rhoad’s family.

And what became of them?

The three friends were attacked there on April 28 or 29.

Upon reaching their last known camp site, police quickly realized that something had gone horribly wrong.

According to the state prosecutor’s office in Baja California, attempts to reconstruct the scene revealed bloodstains and marks “as if heavy objects had been dragged,” raising suspicions of an attack.

Chief state prosecutor María Elena Andrade Ramírez described what likely would have been moments of terror that ended the trip for the three men.

She postulated that the assassins wanted to take the truck’s tires and other components after they drove by and noticed the foreigners’ pickup truck and tents. But “when (the foreigners) came up and caught them, surely, they resisted. “.

She said that’s when the killers would have shot the men. She said that because they were tourists, they were probably not attacked. “The evidence suggests they (the killers) did not know where they were from. “.

Andrade Ramírez said the reconstruction of events was based on the forensic examiner’s reports, noting all three had bullet wounds to the head.

An urgent attempt was made to obliterate the evidence. It looks like the tents belonging to the foreigners were set on fire. The pickup truck was driven miles away and burned. The assailants’ truck was later found with a gun inside.

Then, at “a site that is extremely hard to get to,” the bodies were dumped into a well about 4 miles (6 kilometers) away. What shocked the investigators was the discovery of a fourth, much older body beneath the remains of the three foreigners.

Of the attackers, Andrade Ramírez admitted that “they had to have previous knowledge of it,” suggesting that they might have been responsible for the earlier murder.

Boards had been laying across the well. Andrade Ramírez stated, “Finding it was literally almost impossible.”. It took two hours to winch the bodies out.

Who are the suspects?

Prosecutors have said they were questioning three people in the killings. Two were caught with methamphetamines. When she was apprehended, one of them—a woman—had one of the victims’ cellphones. Although they are awaiting drug charges, the two are still being investigated by prosecutors for the killings, they said.

A third man was arrested on charges of a crime equivalent to kidnapping, but that was before the bodies were found. There was no indication of additional charges against him.

It was thought that the third man had taken part in the murders directly. In keeping with Mexican law, prosecutors identified him by his first name, Jesús Gerardo, alias “el Kekas,” a slang word that means quesadillas, or cheese tortillas.

Andrade Ramírez said he had a criminal record that included drug dealing, vehicle theft and domestic violence, adding, “We are certain that more people were involved. “.

She made it clear that she was prohibited by Mexican law from discussing the suspects or any potential statements they might have made, as doing so could harm their case.

Noting that the brothers and Rhoad had visited the beach location numerous times without encountering any issues, Andrade Ramírez reported that the relatives of the victims explained this. On this occasion, though, “there was no way to call for assistance when the attackers arrived. “.”.

And after that?

In a statement to CBS News, the FBI said it “continues to work with our international law enforcement partners in resolving this ongoing situation” and has been in contact with the family of the American victim.

“We promise that we are considering every tip, even though we are unable to comment on specifics in order to protect the privacy of individuals affected and the integrity of the legal and investigative processes. The FBI declared, “If those leads are credible, we will pursue them with rigor.”.

The parents of the brothers, Deborah and Martin Robinson, were contacted by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday, he said.

“I’m very sorry for them; this is a horrible tragedy. To meet these amazing young men who have been traveling throughout Mexico. Through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we have been in contact with them. I’ve indicated that I wish to speak to them at an appropriate time of their choosing,” Albanese told reporters in the Queensland state town of Rockhampton.

This report was made possible by AFP.