Two missing brothers have been confirmed dead in Mexico, alongside a third friend.
Their family has formally identified their bodies after their alleged murder.
Jake and Callum Robinson were on a camping and surfing trip with their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad when they went missing in the country’s Baja California region last week.
The brothers’ parents travelled to Mexico, where they have now identified two bodies as Jake and Callum. Rhoad’s body has also been identified.
Two missing brothers
The three men were reported missing after they failed to check in to an Airbnb late last month. Police later discovered a burnt-out car and abandoned tents believed to have been used by the brothers and Rhoad.
Last week, police arrested a woman and two men allegedly linked to their disappearance. The woman was found with a phone believed to belong to one of the men.
Over the weekend, authorities found three bodies in an unused well in a remote part of Baja California, around 100kms from the Mexico-U.S. border.
Police investigation
Authorities believe the three died from a single gunshot to the head. Police have suggested the men were shot dead by thieves who were attempting to steal their car and/or its tyres.
The deaths have elevated safety concerns among local residents, prompting hundreds to march through the town of Ensenada on Sunday.
Residents are demanding better protection against criminal activity in the region.
Australian Government response
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said she was “heartbroken” for Callum and Jake’s parents, and that she was “thinking about them at this incredibly difficult time”.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, along with the Australian Embassy in Mexico and Australian Federal Police, is assisting local authorities with the investigation.
