Jake and Callum Robinson Made Headlines After a Tragedy — What Happened?
Why were three surfers, two from Australia and one from America, found dead at the bottom of a Mexican well?
Published May 8 2024, 2:06 p.m. ET
Two Australian brothers and their American friend went down to Mexico to surf along the Pacific Ocean. According to one of their Instagram stories, the trio was having fun sightseeing, sitting in hot tubs, and getting in the water.
Things took a dark turn for Jake and Callum Robinson and Jack Rhoad in late April. Their bodies were found, along with a fourth unidentified body, at the bottom of a well. All three identified victims died from a single gunshot to the head, according to the Baja California Forensic Medical Service.
What happened to Jake and Callum Robinson and their friend?
According to CBS News, the bodies were discovered at the bottom of a well more than 50 feet deep in Santa Tomas in the Mexican state of Baja California. Another, unidentified body was also found in the well. Officials say that body is likely unrelated to Jake, Callum and Jack. The FBI told the news organization it, "continues to work with our international law enforcement partners in resolving this ongoing situation."
According to ABC Australia, a robbery led to deaths. Baja California Attorney General María Elena Andrade Ramírez held a press conference and said, "The perpetrators drove by and saw the foreigners' ute and tents, and wanted to steal their tires. The perpetrators approached with the intention of taking over the ute to remove the tires and put them on their older car. It is likely that there was resistance on the part of the tourists, and the aggressors took out a weapon in their possession."
Callum Robinson was a professional lacrosse athlete.
Callum played lacrosse for Atlas LC in the Premiere Lacrosse League. His former club released a statement on Callum’s murder. “The PLL family and entire lacrosse world are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Callum Robinson, Jake Robinson, and Jack Carter Rhoad. During these unimaginably difficult times, we offer our hearts, support and prayers to the Robinson and Rhoad Families, as well as all who loved Callum, Jake, and Jack."
"From the moment he joined the PLL and Atlas LC, Callum brought an incredible spirit and huge heart to the game — energizing both teammates and opponents, audiences, and every member of our company.
Callum was a rock for us in the early days of our league and our COVID season — his genuine positivity made every person he spent time with better. A coach for PLL Play and a beacon for growing the sport internationally, Callum’s impact on our game will be felt forever."
Jack Rhoad was engaged to be married.
The New York Post reported that the American victim was engaged to wed Natalie Wiertz on Aug. 17, 2024.
Friend of the couple Aubrey Byers started a GoFundMe to help Natalie and honor Jack. “We've created this GoFundMe page for two purposes: the first is to rally support for Natalie during this unimaginably difficult time and provide essentials such as housing, food, transportation, and more. The second is to honor Carter by raising money for scholarships and donations he felt passionate about."
