Family begins process of identifying surfers allegedly murdered in Mexico | World and Science

The family members of two Australian surfers and one American began this Sunday (5), in Mexico, the process of identifying three bodies suspected to be their relatives and with gunshot wounds to the head, reported the Public Ministry of the state of Baixa California (northwest).

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“The family members arrived in the United States yesterday and today they presented themselves to the Public Prosecutor’s Office […] They may be identified at this time,” said state prosecutor María Elena Andrade at a press conference.

The prosecutor considered that there are “very high possibilities” that the bodies correspond to Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their friend, American Jack Carter.

She considered that the “physical state of the bodies” could allow immediate identification and committed to informing through a statement.

The young people, who were on a surfing trip, were reported missing on April 27 in a resort in the municipality of Ensenada, which is very popular with tourists.

On Friday, authorities located three bodies at the bottom of a cliff that matched the physical characteristics of the tourists.

“They all have a hole made by a firearm projectile in their heads,” added Andrade, detailing that the motive for the crime was the theft of the vehicle in which the surfers were apparently traveling.

The truck was found in the region and AFP confirmed that it was set on fire.

Three people, including a woman, were detained for their probable direct or indirect participation in this case, the prosecutor said.

The Australian government expressed concern about this case while family members began a search through social media and the press in Australia.

The surfers had already traveled to Mexico on other occasions, the prosecutor said based on reports from family members.

The spiral of criminal violence engulfing Mexico has left more than 450,000 dead and more than 100,000 missing since the end of 2006, when the federal government launched a controversial military anti-drug operation.