Mexican authorities have confirmed the deaths of an American and two Australians who disappeared in northern Mexico last week after the tourists’ parents identified their bodies, Mexican media reported.
The bodies of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their friend, US citizen Carter Rood, were found at the bottom of a well in the state of Baja California after days of searching. All three were in their early 30s and had all been killed by gunshots to the head.
The three men disappeared while on a surfing holiday near the popular tourist town of Ensenada, located 90 minutes south of the US-Mexico border on the Pacific coast.
They are believed to have been killed after resisting an attempt to steal their pickup truck, state prosecutor Maria Elena Andrade Ramirez told a news conference. The vehicle, which was set on fire, was found nearby. A statement from the state prosecutor’s office said:
The victims’ relatives were able to identify them without the need for genetic tests.
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers expressed condolences to the Robinson family:
I think the whole country’s heart goes out to all of their loved ones. It has been an absolutely horrendous, absolutely horrific ordeal and our thoughts are with all of them today.
Three suspects, two men and one woman, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the case. One of those arrested had a history of violence, drug dealing and robbery, local authorities said.
Investigators earlier said the bodies were recovered from a well about 50 feet (15 metres) deep in an “advanced stage of decomposition”. Another body found at the scene had been there longer and was not related to the others, officials said.
The three surfers were last seen on 27 April and were reported missing a couple of days later when authorities launched a multi-day search with the help of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Baja California, one of Mexico’s most violent states because of the activities of organised crime groups, is also known for its attractive beaches and the Ensenada area is considered one of its safer neighbourhoods.
