Mexican authorities say they believe Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, and their friend Jack Carter Rhoad, were shot dead execution-style in a robbery gone wrong.
Their parents Debra and Martin have now formally identified the bodies of their sons in a morgue in the Mexican city of Enseneada.
"The confirmation comes, given the victims' family members were able to identify them, without the need to obtain genetic proof," authorities said in the statement.
The bodies have now been formally identified by family from Australia who visited the morgue in the Mexican city of Enseneada. (Source: 1News)
Authorities said the trio were shot dead by thieves who were trying to steal their car for its tyres.
Their remains were discovered 10m down a well.
Three Mexican nationals, Jesús Gerardo Garica Cota, alias El Kekas, his partner Ari Gisel García Cota, and his brother Christian Alejandro Garcia, have since been charged with forced kidnapping.
It is expected they would also be charged with murder in the coming days.
Baja California Attorney General Maria Elena Andrade Ramírez said it was believed the three people arrested had engaged in an opportunistic robbery attempt when they tried to steal the men's utes at their remote campsite.
"They may have been looking for trucks," she said.
The men are thought to have fought back, which prompted gunfire from the alleged thieves. All three died from a single gunshot to the head.
Callum was a member of Australia's national lacrosse team and Lacrosse Australia said its thoughts were with the families of the Robinson brothers and their friend.
"Lacrosse Australia is deeply saddened by the deaths of player Callum Robinson, Callum's brother Jake Robinson and their friend Jack (Carter) Rhoad and send our deepest condolences to their families, friends and teammates," the association posted on Facebook.
'Australia, we are with you'
Around 500 people marched through the streets of Ensendada on Sunday (local time) calling for more security in the region.
Protests held surfboards with tributes to Australia saying, “We are with you”.
Others marched with the words, "They only wanted to surf, and they executed them".
Gabriela Acosta, a surfer, told the Associated Press she attended the protest "to show love, solidarity and respect for the three lives that were lost".
Acosta said that surfers in Baja are aware of the dangers.
“We are women and we would sometimes like to surf alone, but we never do that, because of the situation. We always have to go accompanied."
“I think that what happened to them is just an example of the lack of safety in this state,” she said.
Surfers later performed a "paddle-out" ceremony where they formed a circle on their boards in the ocean.
— additional reporting from The Associated Press
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