Authorities in Baja California, Mexico, have recovered three bodies in the search for two Australians and an American who went missing during a camping and surfing trip. While it has not been confirmed whether the bodies belong to the missing men, three individuals have been arrested and charged in connection with the case. The discovery was made in a difficult-to-access area near the town of Santo Tomás, where the men’s tents and truck were found earlier in the week.
The U.S. State Department is closely monitoring the situation but declined to provide further comments at this time. Baja California prosecutors had previously been questioning three individuals in relation to the case, and those individuals have now been arrested and charged with crimes equivalent to kidnapping. Evidence found near the abandoned tents linked the three suspects to the missing foreigners, according to María Elena Andrade Ramírez, the chief state prosecutor.
The mother of the missing Australians, Debra Robinson, made an appeal for help on a local community Facebook page, stating that her sons, Callum and Jake Robinson, had not been heard from since April 27. She mentioned that Callum was diabetic and that they had booked accommodations in Rosarito. The American with them was identified as Jack Carter Rhoad, although this has not been confirmed by the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Authorities are continuing to investigate all leads in the case.
In 2015, two Australian surfers were killed in Sinaloa state, across the Gulf of California, in a similar incident involving highway bandits. Authorities were able to make arrests in that case, and the suspects were brought to justice. The search for the missing trio in Baja California continues, with authorities remaining in contact with Australian and American officials. However, the passage of time since the men were last seen may pose challenges in locating them. All possibilities are being considered in the investigation, as the families and authorities seek answers to the mysterious disappearance of the three men.
