Mexican officials have located four bodies on a ranch in northern Mexico, where two Australians and an American went missing. Three of the bodies have not yet been identified, but local news source Zeta reported the fourth body has been confirmed as the ranch owner, who had been missing for several weeks.
Three sources close to the investigation confirmed the discovery to Reuters on Friday, a week after Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, and brothers Callum, 33, and Jake Robinson, 30, were last sighted in Baja California province. The trio was enjoying a surfing vacation in Ensenada, about an hour and a half south of the U.S.-Mexico border when they vanished.
Grim Discovery, Foul Play Suspected
The remains were found in a well exceeding 15 meters (49ft) deep, located beside a cliff at Punta San José in Santo Tomás, within the municipality of Ensenada, near a secluded surfing area known as Lighthouse, as per the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Before the bodies were discovered, local police had suspected foul play, as the trio's burned-out car was found as well as an abandoned campsite containing traces of blood and what was described as 'dental parts', according to reports from Zeta.
Australia's 7News also reported the discovery of a tooth.
Mexican police are investigating three people in connection to the men's disappearance, but have not specified whether they are considered suspects.
However, according to the San Diego Tribune, one of them, a 23-year-old woman, was arrested with drugs and a cellphone bearing a wallpaper photo of one of the missing men.
"A working team (of investigators) is at the site where they were last seen, where tents and other evidence was found that could be linked to these three people we have under investigation," Baja California's chief prosecutor María Elena Andrade Ramírez said.
"There is a lot of important information that we can't make public."
"We do not know what condition they are in," she added.
While drug cartels are present in the region, authorities have said that all possible leads are being pursued. They said, "We cannot rule anything out until we find them."
Prosecutors declined to confirm the discovery of bodies or their identities, saying they were "aware of those reports and are closely monitoring the situation."
Suspicion Grows
Ramírez said that the friends had been missing for several days before they were reported missing, complicating the investigation process.
Just hours before the remains were found, Australian media revealed that Callum and Jake's parents were flying out to Mexico to search for their missing sons. It remains unclear whether they boarded a flight before police announced the discovery of the bodies.
This comes after the trio posted an eerie final on social media from their trip, capturing them seemingly enjoying themselves on the beach, adding to the poignancy of the situation.
The men were seen wearing wetsuits, savoring beers, and indulging in local cuisine at Rosarito Beach, where they were engaged in surfing and camping activities before relocating approximately 50 miles south to the port city of Ensenada.
A particular snapshot shows a white pick-up truck that sources speculate to be the same vehicle found burned at the deserted campsite.
Callum shared a final photo of the group at San Miguel beach in Ensenada, but never reached the Airbnb they had booked for Saturday.
"... and it begins," Callum captioned the post, accompanied by an emoji of the Mexican flag and a surfer.
While Baja California is known as one of Mexico's more violent states, tourist destinations such as Ensenada are generally regarded as safer areas.
