The mother of an Australian surfer killed in Mexico pays tribute to her sons on a San Diego beach

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The mother of two Australian surfers killed in Mexico gave a moving tribute to her sons on a San Diego beach Tuesday.

“Our hearts are broken and the world has become a darker place for us,” said Debra Robinson, fighting back tears. “They were young men who enjoyed their passion for surfing together.”

Her sons Callum and Jake were allegedly killed by car thieves on April 28 or 29 in Baja California, across the border from San Diego.

Robinson also mourned the American Jack Carter Rhoad, who was killed with them.

The beach location where she spoke, across the border from the city of Tijuana in Baja California, was no coincidence. She noted that her son Callum “considered the United States his second home.”

Robinson noted that her son Jake loved surfing so much that he enjoyed working as a doctor in hospitals near the beach.

“Jake’s passion was surfing and it was no coincidence that many of the hospitals he worked at were near surfing beaches,” she said.

Choking back tears, Robinson delivered a final message consistent with her sons’ adventurous lifestyle.

“Live bigger, shine brighter and love stronger in her memory,” she said.

Robinson thanked Australian officials and supporters there and in the United States.

While she thanked the Mexican ambassador to Australia, she notably did not thank the local officials in Baja California who eventually found the bodies of her sons and Carter Rhoad.

Their killers dumped the men’s bodies in a well about 6 kilometers from where they were attacked at a beach campsite. Investigators were surprised when, among the bodies of the three foreigners, a fourth body was found that had been there for much longer, suggesting the gang had been operating in the area for some time.

The fact that such murderers are not caught or stopped in the vast majority of cases in Mexico suggests that the authorities give the murderers a free hand and only investigate such disappearances when they are high-profile cases involving foreigners involved.

Robinson said her sons’ bodies or their ashes would eventually be returned to Australia.

“Now it’s time to bring them home to families and friends,” she said. “And the ocean awaits in Australia.”

Prosecutors have identified three people as potential suspects, two of whom were caught with methamphetamines. One of them, a woman, was in possession of one of the victims’ cell phones when she was caught. Prosecutors said the two were being held on drug charges but remained suspects in the murders.

A third man was arrested for a crime amounting to kidnapping, but before the bodies were found. It was unclear when or if he would face further charges.

The third man is said to have been directly involved in the murders. Under Mexican law, prosecutors identified him by his first name, Jesús Gerardo, aka “el Kekas,” a slang word meaning quesadillas, or tortillas filled with cheese.

Andrade Ramírez said he had previous convictions for, among other things, drug trafficking, vehicle theft and domestic violence, adding: “We are sure there were more people involved.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday he had asked for an opportunity to speak with Robinson and her husband, Martin.

“This is a terrible tragedy and my condolences are with them,” Albanese told reporters in the city of Rockhampton, Queensland.

In 2015, two Australian surfers, Adam Coleman and Dean Lucas, were killed in the western state of Sinaloa, across the Gulf of California – also known as the Sea of ​​Cortez – from the Baja Peninsula. Authorities said they were victims of muggers. Three suspects were arrested in this case.

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