Three bodies found amid search for 2 missing Australians, 1 American in Mexico
Category: News & Politics
Via: perrie-halpern • 2 weeks ago • 8 commentsBy: Rebecca Cohen and The Associated Press
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Three people were found dead in Santo Tomas, Baja California, as authorities search for two Australians and one American who went missing last weekend in the coastal Mexican state, FBI San Diego said in a statement Friday.
The FBI said it was in contact with the family of the U.S. citizen but declined to provide further details, including identifications of the bodies.
On Thursday, Mexican authorities said they were questioning three people in the disappearance of the three men, but Maria Elena Andrade Ramirez, the chief prosecutor in Baja California, would not say whether those questioned were suspects or witnesses, only that some were tied to the case directly and others indirectly.
Andrade Ramirez also said at the time that tents and other evidence — including a cell phone that may have belonged to one of the missing men and a white pickup — were found and were somehow connected to the three missing men.
She said a team of investigators was at the site where they were last seen, parsing through the "tents and other evidence" that were found there and could have been connected.
"There is a lot of important information that we can't make public," Andrade Ramirez said at the time.
She added the conditions of the three men were unknown and acknowledged the presence of active drug cartels in the area, adding "all lines of investigation are open at this time. We cannot rule anything out until we find them."
The three men — identified as Jake Robinson, Callum Robinson and Jack Carter Rhoad — were thought to have been surfing and camping in Baja California along the coast near the city of Ensenada.
From left, Jack Carter, Jake Robinson, and Callum Robinson.NBC News
They were considered missing Saturday when they did not arrive at their Airbnb in the nearby city of Rosarito, according to a Facebook post from Jake and Callum Robinson's mother, Debra Robinson.
Debra Robinson posted in a local community page Wednesday looking for help finding her sons. She wrote that she had not heard from them since Saturday, which is when they were set to show up in Rosarito.
In the post, she wrote that Callum Robinson is diabetic and mentioned that her sons were with Carter.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico did not immediately confirm at the time that Carter was one of the missing men. The U.S. State Department said at the time it was aware of reports of a missing American in the area but did not provide more information.
Andrade Ramirez on Thursday said her office was in touch with officials from both the U.S. and Australia on the case, but also said the time that had passed between when they went missing and when they were reported missing could make it harder to locate the three men.
While Baja California has become a popular spot for surfers, the U.S. State Department has urged Americans not to vacation there, citing crime and kidnapping.
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Did the Mexico pot smuggling thingy back in the 60s and 70s.
Wouldn't even go there for a vacation these days. Way too dangerous!
Morning...yes the whole country has been following this case and it certainly looks like our worst fears are now confirmed...
So devastating for the families involved especially for the brother's mum and dad..such a long and heart breaking journey for them to undertake knowing their sons have gone ...
🥀🥀🥀
Arvo..and so it is now confirmed the three bodies that were found are the two Australian brothers that went missing and their US friend in Mexico..
A horrendous situation for both families involved and absolutely heart breaking it happened so far from home...
I can't fathom the agony the parents went through sitting on the plane facing such a long journey to find out if it was their two sons...
🇦🇺💔🇺🇸🥀🥀🥀
The latest report is they were killed for their truck tires.
Hope they have the death penalty in Mexico..
Yes they have reported that here too..you would think you would be pretty safe three traveling together, but unfortunately not...
That’s unbelievably cheap value on life, talking 3 lives for 4 or 5 tires.
Unfortunately a human life means nothing to some people..
I wonder if they will trot out the usual excuses..on drugs, have mental issues (that one is the flavour of the month here), abused as a child, poverty stricken etc etc..
A complete lack of empathy or human compassion.