MEXICO CITY – Three bodies were discovered in an area of Baja California, raising concerns about the fate of two Australian nationals and an American who vanished during a camping and surfing expedition over the weekend. Although forensic confirmation is still pending, the physical characteristics of the bodies, including hair and clothing, strongly indicate they may be those of the missing tourists. Chief state prosecutor Maria Elena Andrade Ramirez noted the high likelihood that the bodies under investigation are those of the three tourists, although confirmation awaits forensic examination.
According to reports from the local TV network Milenio, the bodies were found in a well, with investigators uncovering another body nearby. An official from the state prosecutor’s office indicated that the fourth body, not related to the missing foreigners, had been at the location for an extended period.
The area where the bodies were found is close to the seaside region where the missing men’s tents and truck were discovered abandoned along the coast last Thursday. Family members identified the missing individuals as brothers Jake and Callum Robinson from Australia and American citizen Jack Carter Rhoad.
While the U.S. State Department acknowledged reports of the discovery of bodies, they refrained from further commentary, stating they are closely monitoring the situation.
Authorities in Baja California had previously announced the questioning of three individuals in connection with the case. Subsequently, these individuals were arrested and charged with a crime equivalent to kidnapping. Chief state prosecutor Andrade Ramirez emphasized the connection between the evidence found alongside the abandoned tents and the three individuals being questioned about the missing foreigners. Notably, reports suggest that the suspects may have stolen the surfers’ truck, with some of its parts found in another vehicle belonging to one of the suspects.
The missing Australians’ mother, Debra Robinson, issued an appeal for assistance via a local community Facebook page, indicating that her sons, Callum and Jake, had not been heard from since April 27. They had made reservations for accommodations in the nearby city of Rosarito. Robinson mentioned that one of her sons, Callum, is diabetic. However, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City has not yet confirmed the identity of the American individual reported missing.
This incident has prompted memories of a similar tragedy in 2015 when two Australian surfers, Adam Coleman and Dean Lucas, were killed in western Sinaloa state, across the Gulf of California, from the Baja peninsula. Authorities attributed their deaths to highway bandits, leading to the arrest of three suspects in connection with the case.