Brian McDonald
Two Australians and one American they were doing what they loved on Baja California’s stunning and largely isolated stretch of Pacific coast. Their latest images on social media showed them sitting and watching the waves.
What happened to end their lives could have been as random as a pickup truck full of people with bad intentions. The surfers were shot in the head and their bodies were thrown into a covered well miles away. Here’s what we know:
Who were the victims?
Brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, from Australia, and American Jack Carter Rhoad, apparently stopped to surf the waves 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 trip to Mexico: enjoying beers with their feet up in a bar, relaxing in a jacuzzi, eating tacos on the side of the road, watching the waves.
Karen Castañeda/AP
Callum, who was six feet tall, had played in the US Premier Lacrosse League, which left a message on your website saying the lacrosse world was “heartbroken by the tragic loss” of the trio.
“We offer our hearts, support and prayers to the Robinson and Rhoad families, as well as everyone who loved Callum, Jake and Jack,” it read.
On social media, the devastated girlfriend shared a black and white photo of the couple kissing, with the message: “You are one of each. I will love you forever.”
In another photo she shared, in which the two can be seen hugging, she wrote, “My heart is broken into a million pieces. I have no words now.”
Jake Robinson was a doctor in Perth, according to Australian media.
Rhoad was engaged to be married to Natalie Weirtz on August 17 in Columbus, Ohio, according to a Zola online marriage registration. A GoFundMe launched to “rally support for Natalie” had raised more than $57,000 as of Tuesday morning.
“After the heartbreaking loss of Carter Rhoad, Callum Robinson and Jake Robinson, our hearts ache with sadness for their families, friends and community,” says a separate GoFundMe created for Rhoad’s family.
What happened to them?
The three friends were attacked there on April 28th or 29th.
Once police arrived at the last known campsite, it was clear that something had gone violently wrong.
There were bloodstains and marks “as if heavy objects had been dragged,” leading to suspicions of an attack, the Baja California state prosecutor’s office said in an attempt to reconstruct the scene.
The state’s chief prosecutor, María Elena Andrade Ramírez, described what would likely have been moments of terror that ended the three men’s trip.
She theorized that the killers passed by and saw the foreigners’ truck and tents and wanted to steal the tires and other parts of the truck. But “when (foreigners) came and took them, they certainly resisted.”
Francisco Javier Cruz/REUTERS
She said that was when the killers would have shot the men. She said they were probably not attacked because they were tourists. “The evidence suggests they (the killers) didn’t know where they were from.”
Andrade Ramírez said the reconstruction of the events was based on the forensic expert’s reports, noting that all three had gunshot wounds to the head.
There was a hasty attempt to destroy evidence. The foreigners’ tents were apparently burned. The truck was taken miles away and burned. The attackers’ truck was later found with a gun inside.
Then, in “an extremely difficult to reach location,” the bodies were thrown into a well about 6 kilometers away. Investigators were surprised when, beneath the bodies of the three foreigners, a fourth body was found that had been there for much longer.
“They had to have prior knowledge of this,” Andrade Ramírez said of the attackers, acknowledging the possibility that they were behind the previous murder.
The well was covered with boards. “It was literally almost impossible to find him,” Andrade Ramírez said. It took two hours to remove the bodies.
Who are the suspects?
Prosecutors said they were questioning three people involved in the murders. Two were caught with methamphetamine. One of them, a woman, had one of the victims’ cell phones when she was caught. Prosecutors said the two were being held pending drug charges but remain suspects in the murders.
A third man was arrested on charges of a crime equivalent to kidnapping, but that was before the bodies were found. It was unclear whether he could face more charges.
The third man is believed to have directly participated in the murders. In accordance with Mexican law, prosecutors identified him by his first name, Jesús Gerardo, also known as “el Kekas,” a slang term meaning quesadillas or cheese tortillas.
Andrade Ramírez said he had a criminal record that included drug trafficking, vehicle theft and domestic violence, adding: “We are sure that more people were involved.”
She emphasized that she could not discuss anything related to the suspects, or their possible statements, because this was not permitted under Mexican law and could harm the case against them.
GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP via Getty Images
Andrade Ramírez recalled that the victims’ families said that the brothers and Rhoad had been to the seaside location many times and had never had any problems. This time, however, “there was no way to ask for help when the attackers appeared.”
What is the next?
In a statement to CBS News, the FBI said it “continues to work with our international law enforcement partners to resolve this ongoing situation” and has been in contact with the American victim’s family.
“While we cannot comment on specific details to preserve the sanctity of the investigative and legal processes and protect the privacy of those affected, we can assure you that we are evaluating all reports. If they are credible, we will pursue these leads rigorously.” said the FBI.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday he had requested an opportunity to speak to the parents of the brothers, Deborah and Martin Robinson.
“This is a terrible tragedy and my heart goes out to them. To identify these wonderful young people and they are traveling through Mexico. We are dealing with them through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I have indicated that I wish to speak to them at the appropriate time of your choice,” Albanese told reporters in the Queensland city of Rockhampton.
AFP contributed to this report.
