The three men were killed while camping and surfing along Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Mexican authorities confirmed the deaths of an American and two Australians who disappeared in northern Mexico last week, after the tourists’ parents identified their bodies.
The bodies of Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson, as well as their friend, US citizen Carter Rhoad, were found at the bottom of a well in the state of Baja California, after a search that lasted days.
All three were in their 30s and were shot in the head.
“The victims’ families were able to identify them without the need for genetic testing,” said a statement from the state prosecutor’s office.
The three men disappeared during a surfing vacation near the popular resort town of Ensenada, about 90 minutes south of the US-Mexico border on the Pacific coast.
They are believed to have been killed after resisting an attempt to steal their truck, state prosecutor Maria Elena Andrade Ramírez said at a news conference.
The vehicle, which had been set on fire, was found nearby.
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers expressed sympathy for the Robinson family. “I think the whole country’s heart goes out to all their loved ones. It was an absolutely horrible, absolutely horrible ordeal and our thoughts are with them all today,” he said.
Three suspects, two men and one woman, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the case.
One of the inmates has a history of violence, drug trafficking and theft, authorities said.
Investigators previously said the bodies were recovered from a well about 15 meters deep in an “advanced state of decomposition.”
Another body found at the scene had been there longer and had no connection to the others, authorities said.
The three surfers were last seen on April 27 and reported missing a few days later when authorities launched a multi-day search with help from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Baja California, one of the most violent states in Mexico due to organized crime gangs, is also known for its inviting beaches and the Ensenada area is considered one of the safest parts.
At the press conference, Andrade Ramírez was questioned by a reporter who expressed approval that such a massive and rapid search had been mounted by foreigners, but asked why, when the local population disappeared in the area, it took weeks, months or even years to action to be taken.
“Do you have to be a foreigner in Baja California for there to be an investigation if something happens to you?” asked the reporter, who did not identify herself by name. “Each investigation is different,” replied Andrade Ramírez.
As if to underline that point, dozens of mourners, surfers and protesters gathered on Sunday in Ensenada to pay tribute to the surfers and express their anger at the deaths.
“Ensenada is a mass grave,” said a sign carried by protesters.
Many marched with signs scrawled with messages including “beaches, safety, freedom, peace”, “no more deaths” and “Australia, we are with you”.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
