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2 months ago
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A fifth person has been arrested over the brutal deaths of two Perth brothers and their American friend who disappeared while on a surfing trip in Mexico.
Callum Robinson, 32, his brother Jake, 31, and their friend Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, were travelling near Ensenada in the Baja California region when they vanished on April 27.
Family and friends raised the alarm when they stopped posting on social media and failed to check into their booked Airbnb at nearby Rosarito.
A large-scale police operation run by local authorities discovered their bodies a week later down a well near the coastal campsite where they were last seen.
Following four previous arrests, local media has now said a fifth man - reported variously as Angel Jesus 'N' or Ángel León N - has been charged with aggravated homicide in connection to the deaths.
The 31-year-old from Ensenada was detained by Baja California State Investigation Agency officers in the Santo Tomás district.
His arrest follows those early on in the investigation of 23-year-old woman Ari Gisel Garcia Cota, her partner Jesus Gerardo Garcia Cota, and his brother Cristian Alejandro Garcia who were charged with an offence akin to kidnapping.
A fourth man was also arrested last month but local authorities have not revealed information on him or confirmed charges.
A fifth man variously reported as Angel Jesus 'N' or Ángel León N has been arrested and charged over the deaths of Jake and Callum Robinson and Jack Carter Rhoad
The remains were found in a well (pictured) more than 15 metres (49ft) deep next to a cliff at Punta San José in Santo Tomás, in the municipality of Ensenada
Callum was based in the US where he was an accomplished lacrosse player known as 'the Big Koala'.
His brother Jake, who worked in regional hospitals across Australia, had flown out to San Diego to visit him.
Mr Carter Rhoad worked in technology services in San Diego and joined the brothers on their surfing trip to Mexico.
State prosecutor María Elena Andrade Ramírez previously alleged the tourists were shot during a robbery led by Jesus Gerardo Garcia Cota who was trying to steal the tires from their pickup truck.
The Robinson brothers attended Coachella before going to Mexico to surf. Callum (left) was based in the US where he was a lacrosse player known as 'the Big Koala', while Jake (right), who worked in regional hospitals across Australia, had flown out to visit him
Also killed was 30-year-old American Jack Carter Rhoad who worked in tech services
She said evidence found along with the abandoned tents was linked to the three people being questioned about the missing foreigners
'A working team (of investigators) is at the site where they were last seen, where tents and other evidence was found that could be linked to these three people we have under investigation,' Andrade Ramírez said Thursday.
'There is a lot of important information that we can't make public.'
It is understood blood, teeth and bullet casings were found at the site.
Local authorities were able to make the first arrests after a woman, understood to be the girlfriend of one of the gunmen, was pulled over in a traffic stop carrying Mr Carter Rhoad's phone, along with 100g of meth.
Ari Gisel (pictured) was arrested following a routine patrol stop on May 1
Ari Gisel Garcia Cota told a court her boyfriend had given her the phone after he returned home and told her he had 'f***ed up three gringos'.
She asked what he was talking about and he replied he had 'killed them'.
She claimed he then showed her their vehicle, which was sporting tyres that had been allegedly stolen from the white Chevrolet Colorado the trio had been driving.
It is expected authorities will charge Jesus Gerardo Garcia Cota with murder and he is next set to appear in court in November.
English (US)