Mexico City (AP) – Tragedy struck on the remote and picturesque stretch of Baja California’s Pacific coast, where two Australians and an American met a harrowing end. Their social media posts captured moments of tranquility by the waves, only to be followed by a nightmare scenario.
The surfers, identified as brothers Jake and Callum Robinson from Australia and American Jack Carter Rhoad, were attacked and fatally shot while camping and surfing between Punta San José and La Bocana. The grisly discovery of their bodies in a covered well miles from their campsite shocked authorities.
Initial investigations revealed signs of a violent struggle at the camp, with bloodstains and marks suggesting a brutal attack. Baja California’s state prosecutor’s office pieced together a chilling reconstruction of the events leading to the surfers’ deaths.
Chief state prosecutor María Elena Andrade Ramírez detailed a sequence of events that pointed to a robbery gone awry, resulting in the fatal shooting of the men. The assailants attempted to cover their tracks by burning the foreigners’ tents and truck before dumping the bodies in a well, a location chosen to obscure any trace of the heinous crime.
Authorities apprehended three suspects in connection with the killings, with two individuals found in possession of methamphetamines and one carrying a victim’s cellphone. The third suspect, identified as Jesús Gerardo, alias “el Kekas,” had a criminal history involving drug offenses and violence.
Andrade Ramírez hinted at the possibility of more individuals involved in the crime, underscoring the complex nature of the investigation. The victims’ families shared testimonials of the surfers’ previous visits to the area without incident, underscoring the shocking and unforeseeable nature of the attack.
In the midst of the tragedy, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed condolences and offered support to the families of the slain surfers. The community mourned the loss of these young men, whose love for surfing brought them to Mexico’s scenic shores, now tainted by a senseless act of violence.