The three foreign surfers in Mexico were allegedly murdered by a group of three robbers after one of the surfers refused to hand over their vehicle during a carjacking, according to authorities. The three men may also have been targeted because their truck bore American license plates, although law enforcement has not yet confirmed this theory.
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. Their bodies were found on a ranch in northern Mexico on Friday.
Shocking Revelations
Jesús Gerardo Garcia Cota, aka El Kekas, along with his partner Ari Gisel García Cota, and Cristian Alejandro García, El Kekas's brother, have been charged after police found four bodies at the bottom of a well on a ranch in northern Mexico.
Reports from Zeta and Talk Baja indicate that all three suspects were arrested with an assortment of methamphetamines and other illegal drugs at the time of their arrest.
The arrests took place during two separate police operations on Wednesday, May 1. It's noted that 23-year-old García Cota was allegedly found in possession of one of the missing men's mobile phones.
Although police have not officially confirmed the identities of the bodies found in the well, Border Report and FOX 5 San Diego, citing a source in the Baja California Attorney General's office, claim they are the missing tourists.
Milenio TV network also reported that physical characteristics, such as hair and clothing mean there is a strong possibility that the bodies are those of the three surfers.
Zeta also reported that the fourth body is believed to be that of the ranch owner who had been missing for several weeks. However, the cause of death has not been made public.
"It is presumed [the bodies] are the ones being investigated,' a state prosecutors" office employee told Milenio.
"A fourth body was located. It is not related to the three foreigners. The fourth body had been there for a long time."
Baja California state Attorney-General Maria Elena Andrade Ramirez has confirmed that a murder investigation has been launched and said that investigators suspect the three men were killed during an attempted robbery.
"When they tried to get the vehicle, the victims opposed the robbery, the robbers were armed with a firearm and apparently shot the victims," she told 7News.
Lot More to be Revealed
The Baja California prosecutor's office announced that the local laboratory will conduct forensic tests to confirm whether the bodies are of the missing trio. 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.
It took rescuers around 20 hours to retrieve the bodies from the well.
The Perth brothers and their San Diegan surfing companion disappeared while on vacation in Ensenada, located about an hour and a half south of the U.S.-Mexico border.
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.
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.
