BajaNomad - Three Missing Surfers Found Dead

Three Missing Surfers Found Dead

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SFandH - 5-7-2024 at 03:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

I bet she explained to the cops what went down and who the killer was.

I am sure that she was advised of her right to remain silent, and offered a chance to consult an attorney first!

of course.

They may not have ever found the victims, the rancher, or the killer, if not for her and the cell phone.

[Edited on 5-7-2024 by SFandH]

surabi - 5-7-2024 at 04:14 PM

Not likely that a person comes into possession of the stolen cell phone of a murder victim within hours of the murder if they weren't involved in the crime or with the perps.

mtgoat666 - 5-7-2024 at 09:10 PM

Bad stuff happening everywhere - todays news…

8 graves have been located in the vicinity of the El Cajoncito stream (La Paz), reported the BCS Government
https://www.bcsnoticias.mx/se-han-localizado-8-fosas-en-las-...

wilderone - 5-8-2024 at 06:51 AM

Jake and Callum's parents are in San Diego now. There will be a celebration of life paddle-out at Ocean Beach (San Diego) this Saturday (5/11). Callum lived in OB. Jack Rhoad was engaged to be married in August.

[Edited on 5-8-2024 by wilderone]

BooJumMan - 5-8-2024 at 06:52 AM

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

Just read some bio of the victims. The oldest brother was actually living in San Diego. So he may have been surfing and camping in the area before, never had anything bad happen and therefore thought there was nothing to be on guard about.

They actually had never been there before. There was a post about them getting directions from San Miguel from someone. Then the local SD news interviewed a surfer who had given them a paper map with directions a couple weeks ago. He talked about going there for decades with his family.

Most the time I was there, I was by myself. A few times there'd be other campers. It seemed to be busier in the 80s and 90s.

Interestingly they had tried to go there previously but got lost. I was curious prior if they had got lost again and somehow came upon some operation. Sounds like that was not the case.

wilderone - 5-8-2024 at 06:59 AM

"Andrade Ramírez noted that the victims' families said the brothers and Rhoad had come many times to the seaside spot and never had any problem." [?] This article shows a pic of the camping site. Article also says perps' vehicle found with a gun inside.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/surfers-killed-mexico-what-we-k...

john - 5-9-2024 at 07:54 AM

https://youtu.be/xM0W_r5OKGU?si=fFmiQ-lKxIcIOuL5

Different details from this news station

bajaric - 5-9-2024 at 02:04 PM

A news outlet reported that the Sinaloa cartel has claimed that they gave the identity of the perps to police, so that the cartel would not catch the blame. That reinforces the generally accepted idea that cartel violence is mostly limited to the people of Mexico, not tourists.

It makes sense if you look at the statistics for homicide. Tijuana has the highest homicide rate of any large city in the WORLD. 2,000+ people killed every year out of a population of 1.2 million. If this level of violence extended to the millions of tourists that visit Baja California every year one would expect that hundreds of tourists would be killed every year and yet that is not the case.

I think that when violence befalls tourists and ex pats it is more likely to be the work of local drug addicted thugs, rather than organized cartel members. Does not make it more acceptable but would explain the relatively small number of tourists that have been killed.

Many people, myself included, stopped going to free camping spots on the beach along the coastline of Northern Baja a long time ago. In my case it was after we heard about a surfer that got robbed at knife point and then slashed across the face at Cuatros Casas back in the 1990's. Such attacks are pretty rare but just the knowledge that something could happen spoils the experience. The same thing has happened in the Sierra Juarez, it only takes a couple of incidents. Now it is better to stay in a paid campground or motel.

Lee - 5-9-2024 at 02:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric

I think that when violence befalls tourists and ex pats it is more likely to be the work of local drug addicted thugs, rather than organized cartel members. Does not make it more acceptable but would explain the relatively small number of tourists that have been killed.

Not necessarily one or the other. Local unscrupulous punks can be opportunistic and evil. Personally think gringoes are targets.

bajaric - 5-9-2024 at 04:39 PM

Whatever the back story, it is very sad and tragic. My heart goes out to the family and friends of these three young men and to the good people of the Baja community who should not have to live in an atmosphere of crime and lawlessness.

surabi - 5-9-2024 at 04:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric

A news outlet reported that the Sinaloa cartel has claimed that they gave the identity of the perps to police, so that the cartel would not catch the blame.

I think that when violence befalls tourists and ex pats it is more likely to be the work of local drug addicted thugs, rather than organized cartel members. Does not make it more acceptable but would explain the relatively small number of tourists that have been killed.

It isn't just so they don't get blamed, it also makes them look like good guys, which some percentage of Mexicans view them as. They distribute gifts and toys at Xmas time to villagers, which is an attempt to help foster that image. Then of course there's all the narcocorridos, ballads which portray the cartels' illegal activities as somehow admirable or heroic.

As far as violence towards tourists and expats, I agree that the cartels seem to stay away from that.

Tourists and expats largely seem to be the victims of independent low life criminals. Sometimes the attacks are random, sometimes they are targeted, and sometimes the back story that comes out indicates that the victims (usually expats or tourists who come to Mexico often, to the same area and have a lot of
connections there) were actually engaged in some way with the perps.

BooJumMan - 5-10-2024 at 07:19 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric

A news outlet reported that the Sinaloa cartel has claimed that they gave the identity of the perps to police, so that the cartel would not catch the blame. That reinforces the generally accepted idea that cartel violence is mostly limited to the people of Mexico, not tourists.

I agree that the cartels are not out to target tourists.

However, the idea that the Sinaloa cartel gave the names of the perps makes no sense at all. The timeline just doesn't add up. The authorities found them by pinging the phone before much info was even made public, finding the girl first. Only getting names of the others afterwards.

wilderone - 5-10-2024 at 07:58 AM

I think there's more to the story by police and cartel.

Dailymail: "But a representative from the organization denied any connection to the crime and stated they had turned over the culprits to the police after becoming afraid of 'unwanted attention'. 'They were low-level robbers acting alone. But we handed them over,' the Sinaloa member told the Daily Beast.
'We learned that the cops were looking for the gringos and also began looking for those who were responsible. We called the authorities to let them know where to find them.'"

Maybe cartel reacted because perps were working for them, e.g., "get me a truck" ... and it went sideways - wasn't supposed to include murders. So they now don't want police to look too close and find cartel business here and there - asking too many questions, connecting complicit dots.

surabi - 5-10-2024 at 10:15 AM

There's always more to the story in Mexico when it involves the police and the cartels. Things no one will ever know but those involved.

Biznaga - 5-16-2024 at 12:09 PM

More details to this tragic story;

"Célula de La Rana en crimen de surfistas" aka "La Rana cell in surfer crime"

"The Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson, and the American Jack Carter, entered one of the most sinister and unpopulated areas of Ensenada: Punta San José in the Santo Tomás district. According to investigations by the State Attorney General's Office (FGE), these dirt roads are controlled by members of organized crime, by drug cartels."

"The coast of Baja California, from the 28th Parallel to Tijuana along the Mexican Pacific, is made up of strategic routes drawn between large ejidal extensions and with a sea front through the federal maritime zone, which the cartels control for the management and transfer of shipments of drugs arriving from South American countries by sea or air."

source article:

https://zetatijuana.com/2024/05/celula-de-la-rana-en-crimen-...

mtgoat666 - 5-16-2024 at 12:36 PM

The article is quite long, has level of detail we expect from Zeta

https://zetatijuana.com/2024/05/celula-de-la-rana-en-crimen-...

the alarming excerpts:

MUNICIPALITIES HAVE “ORDERS” FROM THE CDS NOT TO ENTER THE AREA

The Santo Tomás delegation and its surrounding communities are operated by members of the Sinaloa Cartel under the criminal orders of Luis Zazueta, a low-profile criminal who does work on his own, even with other cartels. He is known in the area for recruiting criminals to rob ranches, to whom he offers conditions to remain outside the Law.

Investigators place Zazueta's group in the criminal cell commanded by René Arzate García alias La Rana, who together with his brother Aquiles, represent a wing of the CDS linked to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García. Arzate is attributed with the most impactful crimes in the area, and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) suspects him of coordinating and executing violent operations on behalf of the cartel, including multiple murders and kidnappings.

Regarding the control they have over the area where the foreign tourists camped and were murdered, an element of the Ensenada Municipal Public Security Directorate confided to ZETA : “The comrades have direct orders from the CDS (that's how they spelled it) not to put patrols in all those lands.”

Elements of the FGE agreed with what the municipal agent said: “Those criminals have always worked like this, assaulting foreigners. "That's what they do, robbery, theft of livestock, houses, robberies with violence, mainly against foreigners."

They reported that in addition to being officially identified as part of a cell dedicated to drug trafficking, Kekas is accused of theft of sage, oak firewood, dismantling foreigners' mobile homes, theft of water pumping motors on ranches, of tires and vehicular.

LA BOCANA, INACCESSABLE AREA FOR THE POPULATION: RESIDENTS

Owners of ranches around the perimeter of Santo Tomás, up to Uruapan and Maneadero,

They know the criminal history of those arrested in the case of foreign surfers, as well as other people who are stalking merchants, producers and residents of the town.

During a meeting with ZETA , they said that the area that connects La Bocana with San Juan de las Pulgas and Punta San José is an inaccessible area for the community in general. That is, only those who have influence or protection from criminals can enter.

There is a tire shop located in the town of Santo Tomás heading to the beach, where criminals act as pointers. They are known as Los Enanos and heading towards Ajusco there is another CDS surveillance area. That way they have control of who enters and leaves through the drug routes.

The residents of the Ejido Uruapan are under the yoke of this criminal cell that has the involvement of elements of the Municipal Police, whose settlement is in Los Malcriados. This group operates between the filter of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) and the entrance to the Ejido Uruapan.

[Edited on 5-16-2024 by mtgoat666]

mtgoat666 - 5-16-2024 at 12:47 PM

https://zetatijuana.com/2024/05/el-circulo-criminal-del-keka...

Luis Zazueta, Sinaloa cartel, member of "Los Enanos", Sergio León, Sinaloa cartel, member of "Los Enanos", Arturo Espinoza, "El Tury", Sinaloa cartel, member of "Los Enanos"

The prosecution has reported that there are more people under investigation for their possible participation in the murder and disappearance of Callum and Jake Robinson, in addition to Jack Carter, including police officers for providing protection.

The Kekas has maintained a network of influence with other sub-cells of the same Sinaloa Cartel, whose members are part of the criminal organization chart that operates in the southern delegations of Ensenada.

In the Uruapan area, just ten minutes from Santo Tomás to the north, the investigation agency has located Francisco Montaño alias El Yuni, Santiago León and another patriarch León who is a fugitive, according to the file.

In the same circle of influence as Kekas is Arturo Tamayo alias El Tury, all identified on social networks with heavy-caliber weapons, short weapons and CDS insignia.

[Edited on 5-16-2024 by mtgoat666]

SFandH - 5-16-2024 at 02:27 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

The article is quite long, has level of detail we expect from Zeta

https://zetatijuana.com/2024/05/celula-de-la-rana-en-crimen-...

the alarming excerpts:

.......

The residents of the Ejido Uruapan are under the yoke of this criminal cell that has the involvement of elements of the Municipal Police

It sucks to know that the whole Santo Tomas area from the highway to the coast is polluted with low-life criminals and crooked cops.

This is below cartel drug trafficking. It's simple, ugly, criminality.

Where's the military? The National Guard? Turning blind eyes I suppose.

Don Pisto - 5-16-2024 at 03:14 PM

DanO....what say?

pacificobob - 5-16-2024 at 06:09 PM

Two areas in Mexico i would own a rancho if not for the gangster components.
San tomas valley south of Ensenada, and the high country in central Chihuahua.

wilderone - 5-17-2024 at 02:30 PM

"There is a tire shop located in the town of Santo Tomás heading to the beach, where criminals act as pointers. They are known as Los Enanos and heading towards Ajusco there is another CDS surveillance area. That way they have control of who enters and leaves through the drug routes."

I think of the time I camped by myself off the road that heads out to Punta Baja. Pretty sure I was watched then. A lone pick-up with an unfriendly female driver slowly drove past my camp - came from the direction of the coast - no ranches out there - probably a lookout. That night there was gunfire across the valley and multiple vehicles speeding away on that southerly road. I'm probably lucky to be alive.

At least we now know. Damn shame.

mtgoat666 - 5-17-2024 at 03:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone

"There is a tire shop located in the town of Santo Tomás heading to the beach, where criminals act as pointers. They are known as Los Enanos and heading towards Ajusco there is another CDS surveillance area. That way they have control of who enters and leaves through the drug routes."

I think of the time I camped by myself off the road that heads out to Punta Baja. Pretty sure I was watched then. A lone pick-up with an unfriendly female driver slowly drove past my camp - came from the direction of the coast - no ranches out there - probably a lookout. That night there was gunfire across the valley and multiple vehicles speeding away on that southerly road. I'm probably lucky to be alive.

At least we now know. Damn shame.

This organized crime, spotters looking for victims, could happen anywhere in baja. Past camping without incident is not indication of future results. Things change, new meth heads created every year…

Just in the past few years the cartels in bcs infiltrated all of the fish coops, local sales of high value seafoods (all forced to cartel-controlled wholesalers). The cartels are all up and down the remote coastal areas,… hard to know where the criminals are now, who is in charge…
Dont know if the locals really share the local knowledge of unsavory stuff happening.
Safety in numbers, and better to camp at established campsites

AKgringo - 5-17-2024 at 04:21 PM

Three years ago headed south from Bahia Asuncion, I found a nice access trail to a calm stretch of coastline just north of La Bocana. I wasn't there very long before I was visited by a local "vigilancia" to see what I was doing.

It was just me and my dog, and we had no fishing or diving gear, so he wished us a good evening and told me he would be by a few more times that night. He was a very friendly, pleasant person to practice my Spanish with.

He had a radio and I was glad to know there was someone else watching for strange cars.

mtgoat666 - 5-18-2024 at 07:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

Three years ago headed south from Bahia Asuncion, I found a nice access trail to a calm stretch of coastline just north of La Bocana. I wasn't there very long before I was visited by a local "vigilancia" to see what I was doing.

It was just me and my dog, and we had no fishing or diving gear, so he wished us a good evening and told me he would be by a few more times that night. He was a very friendly, pleasant person to practice my Spanish with.

He had a radio and I was glad to know there was someone else watching for strange cars.

I wonder how strong the local vigilancia is today? Just down the coast there are cartel-supported shellfish harvesters that fish out of season, exceed limits, etc. do you really think a local vigilancia can object if “poachers” move in and are backed by sicarios?

mtgoat666 - 5-19-2024 at 06:41 AM

LOOKING FOR
THE MISSING PEOPLE
OF MEXICO
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/08/opinion/mexic...

Lee - 5-19-2024 at 01:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

LOOKING FOR
THE MISSING PEOPLE
OF MEXICO
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/08/opinion/mexic...

Consider starting a new thread about disappearances and crime in MX.

You guys are highjacking this thread about 3 surfers who were murdered.

SFandH - 5-19-2024 at 05:29 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Lee

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

LOOKING FOR
THE MISSING PEOPLE
OF MEXICO
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/08/opinion/mexic...

Consider starting a new thread about disappearances and crime in MX.

You guys are highjacking this thread about 3 surfers who were murdered.

Exactly.

There's nothing more to be said about this tragedy.

mtgoat666 - 5-19-2024 at 06:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Lee

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

LOOKING FOR
THE MISSING PEOPLE
OF MEXICO
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/08/opinion/mexic...

Consider starting a new thread about disappearances and crime in MX.

You guys are highjacking this thread about 3 surfers who were murdered.

Hundreds of thousands of people have disappeared in mexico. The 3 gringos are part of an epidemic. Nothing wrong about expanding the discussion to the put the 3 gringos in perspective of the regional and national issue, of which the 3 gringos are just a few of the many.
The contrast is particularly notable, as the gringos garnered large and rapid response of government/police, and so many of the disappeared are ignored by government/police.

Now that the story of the 3 is largely filled-in, people need to be aware of the local problem (areas being controlled by organized crime, abandoned by police) and how the problem manifests nationwide.

mtgoat666 - 6-2-2024 at 09:28 AM

The families of the 3 surfers are lucky that govt looked for them and found them.

In other parts of the country people disappear, the govt does not look for them, and the govt attacks and criticizes the private citizens who look for and find the missing…

Mexican officials again criticize volunteer searcher after she finds more bodies
https://www.yahoo.com/news/mexican-officials-again-criticize...

Mexico’s president accuses press and volunteer searchers for missing people of ‘necrophilia’
https://apnews.com/article/mexico-searching-mothers-disappea...

Mexican govt is so flocked up.

[Edited on 6-2-2024 by mtgoat666]

BoenBaja - 7-12-2024 at 12:10 PM

Additional suspect arrested:

https://apple.news/A4GgeUedrSWe95kV6RwRf2w

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