MEXICO CITY — Authorities in Mexico found three bodies near Baja California, officials say.
The area where the bodies were found was near where two Australians and an American went missing, according to Reuters. The missing people were identified as Callum Robinson, 33; Jake Robinson, 30; and Carter Rhoad, 30.
Family members identify bodies; victims killed for tires
Update 10:21 p.m. EDT May 5: Mexican authorities said that relatives have positively identified three bodies found in a well, stating that they were the remains of two Australian surfers and one American who went missing last weekend.
According to prosecutors in Baja California, relatives were able to make a positive identification, The Associated Press reported. The men’s bodies were recovered from a 50-foot well, according to the news organization.
According to authorities, the men were killed by thieves, who stole their truck because the suspects wanted the vehicle’s tires, the AP reported.
Three suspects are being held, police said.
-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Original report: The three were on vacation. They were surfing and camping in Ensenada, which is a Mexican city along the coast, The New York Times reported. They disappeared on Saturday.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t until the last few days that they were reported missing,” María Elena Andrade Ramírez said in a news conference Thursday, according to the Times. “So, that meant that important hours or time was lost.”
It’s not clear if the bodies belong to the three missing men but they were found during the search for them, The Associated Press reported.
Tents were found where the three men were last seen, state prosecutor Socorro Ibarra said, according to Reuters. Officials said that a burned white pickup truck was also found in the area.
Three people are being questioned about the missing men. According to the AP, they have been arrested and charged. They have not yet been identified.
“Three bodies were found south of the city of Ensenada, and they were recovered in coordination with other authorities during a specialized operation because they were found in a zone of difficult access,” state prosecutors office said in a statement obtained by the AP.
“We are aware of those reports (of bodies) and are closely monitoring the situation. At this time we have no further comment,” the U.S. State Department said, according to the AP.
Prosecutors believe that the three people who have been arrested tried to get the victims’ vehicle, the Times reported. The men resisted which is when one man opened fire and attempted to get rid of the bodies, Andrade Ramírez said, according to the newspaper.
“This aggression seems to have occurred in an unforeseen, circumstantial manner,” she added. “We pledge that this crime will not go unpunished.”