Three Mexican nationals, two males and a female, have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend, Jack Carter Rhoad. This development follows the discovery of three bodies (there are recent reports of a fourth body being found) at the base of a cliff in the La Bocana area of Santo Tomás, suspected to be those of the missing surfers, though identification is pending. The surfers journey had taken them across the Mexican border from San Diego in a white Chevrolet Colorado, which was later found burned at a ranch in Santo Tomás. This series of events echoes the grim 2015 murders of Australian surfers Adam Coleman and Dean Lucas in Sinaloa state (Coleman and Lucas’ white van was likewise found burned beside the road, south of the Los Mochis ferry terminal).
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The Robinson brothers from Perth, along with Rhoad, were last seen alive on April 28 near La Bocana, a location approximately 90 minutes south of Ensenada by car. Jake, a practicing physician in Australia, had come to visit Callum, who resides and works in San Diego. They were both described as passionate surfers, a trait shared by their friend Rhoad. The group had been staying in the region for a surfing trip and failed to return to their Airbnb rental in Rosarito Beach, prompting concerns from family members. A comprehensive search operation ensued, involving local authorities and friends of the surfers, focusing on areas around La Bocana de Santo Tomás and further south near Punta San José. During the search, a tent reportedly belonging to the group was found containing blood stains, teeth and signs of a struggle.
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The arrests occurred on May 1, following two separate police operations led by Baja California’s chief public prosecutor, Maria Elena Andrade Ramirez. Initially, a 23-year-old Mexican woman was apprehended after being found with a mobile phone owned by one of the surfers. Subsequent investigations led to the capture of two men and all three suspects were found in possession of methamphetamine among other illegal drugs.
The location, known to overlanders as Punta San Jose aka “Lighthouse”, where the most recent attack took place has a reputation as a dangerous area with one iOverlander check-in from 2019 reading, “Stunning spot. However, we were robbed at gunpoint at 4am on March 2, 2019. Two masked men fired at least 5 shots into our camper when we refused to open the door. They left after we passed some cash through one of the broken windows”.
Naturally, such an event in Baja is alarming for the many thousands of overland travelers who visit the peninsula regularly. While there are isolated criminal incidents involving tourists and a significant cartel presence, Baja is widely considered to be a safe and welcoming location as tourism accounts for roughly 40% of the peninsula’s income, with an estimated 30 million tourists hosted in 2023. Though the circumstances of the attack are unclear, our advice for remaining safe while traveling overland is to carefully research your route and destination, do not engage in illegal activities, be aware of your surroundings, never drive at night, and be prepared to surrender valuables if under extreme duress.
It must be noted that this is a developing story and more information will come to light as the investigation progresses.
