Three tourists found dead in Mexico were shot in the head and their bodies dumped in a well, authorities have confirmed.
Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, 30 and 33, and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, disappeared on 27 April while on a surfing trip in Ensenada.
Relatives of the three men identified their bodies on Sunday after travelling to Mexico to assist authorities, a state prosecutor said.
Officials believe the men were attacked trying to stop the theft of their pickup truck.
The attackers wanted the vehicle for its tyres and shot the tourists when they resisted, Baja California state prosecutor Maria Andrade suggested.
Their bodies were found in a 4m (15ft) deep well about 6km (4 miles) from the site of the attack in the town of Santo Tomás on Friday.
Abandoned tents, a burnt white pickup truck and a phone linked to the missing surfers were found nearby.
A fourth body was found in the well but had been there longer and was unconnected to the case, officials said.
Two men and a woman have been detained on suspicion of direct or indirect involvement in the attack. One man has been charged with “forced disappearance”.
Earlier, the FBI said it was looking into the case and was in touch with international partners.
Baja California is one of Mexico’s most violent states, as local drug gangs fight turf wars.
But the Ensenada area, about 120km (75 miles) south of the US-Mexico border and known for its surfing conditions, is considered safer and has long attracted tourists from California.
The brothers’ parents – Deborah and Martin Robinson – said Callum had been living in the US, chasing his dream of becoming a professional lacrosse player.
Jake was on “the trip of lifetime” to visit him before starting a new job in Victoria as a doctor, they said on Friday.
“Callum and Jake are beautiful human beings. We love them so much and this breaks our heart.”
Friends of the brothers have also flooded social media with tributes. (BBC)
