Three tourists discovered deceased in Mexico were shot in the head and their bodies were disposed of in a well, as confirmed by authorities.
Authorities have confirmed that three tourists found dead in Mexico were shot in the head and their bodies were dumped in a well.
Australian siblings Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33 respectively, along with their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, vanished on April 27 during a surfing excursion in Ensenada.
The bodies of the three men were identified by their relatives on Sunday after they traveled to Mexico to aid authorities, stated a state prosecutor.
Officials believe that the men were attacked when they tried to prevent the theft of their pickup truck.
According to Baja California state prosecutor Maria Andrade, the assailants wanted the vehicle for its tires and shot the tourists when they resisted.
Their bodies were discovered in a 4-meter (15-foot) deep well approximately 6 kilometers (4 miles) from the location of the attack in Santo Tomás on Friday.
Nearby, abandoned tents, a burnt white pickup truck, and a phone linked to the missing surfers were also found.
Additionally, a fourth body was found in the well, but it had been there longer and was unrelated to the case, officials mentioned.
Two men and a woman have been apprehended on suspicion of direct or indirect involvement in the attack, with one man being charged with “forced disappearance.”
Earlier, the FBI announced its investigation into the case and stated its communication with international partners.
Baja California is one of Mexico’s most violent states due to turf wars among local drug gangs.
However, the Ensenada area, situated about 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of the US-Mexico border and known for its surfing conditions, is considered relatively safer and has long been a draw for tourists from California.
