A new development has emerged in the investigation into the alleged murders of Perth brothers who were killed in Mexico.
The parents of Jake and Callum Robinson, the two Australian brothers who were murdered alongside their American friend, have broken their silence this morning.
The ring leader of the Mexican nationals behind the murder of the brothers Jesus Gerardo Garica Cota, also known as El Kekas, will have a hearing on Thursday in Mexico, and during the hearing, it is very likely the charges will be upgraded to murder.
“I would just like to start with some important thank yous,” Martin Robinson said in a public statement.
“Particularly those friends and family of ours in Australia and the US who have sent us overwhelming support and wishes.
“We’d like to acknowledge that they have been a massive support to us over the last few days.”
Perth brothers Callum, 33, and Jake Robinson, 30, and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, were killed while on a surfing trip in the Mexican state of Baja California.
The trio disappeared on April 27 during a camping trip on a clifftop near the popular surfing beach of Punta San Jose in the Ensenada region. Their bodies were found on May 3 at the bottom of a 10 to 15 metre unused well.
According to initial inquiries, the surfers were killed execution-style in an armed robbery when they tried to fight back against their truck being stolen.
A fourth person has been arrested in relation to the trio’s deaths according to prosecutor Maria Elena Andrade Ramirez who announced the update in a press conference.
The prosecutor said a man had been detained from the town of Santo Tomas, about 40km from where the surfers had been camping near the Punta San Jose beach.
The fresh update comes about a month-and-a-half after three people were arrested in the early stages of the investigation.
Ari Gisel, 23, was pulled over for a routine traffic stop by police in Ensenada before she threw a 100 gram bag of meth on the ground and tried to flee the vehicle.
Officers inspected the car, finding an iPhone that belonged to Mr Rhoad while the woman was also later charged with possession of narcotics.
Two other Mexican nationals were arrested along with Gisel, after she turned her then-partner Jesus Gerardo Garcia Cota and his brother Cristian Alejandro in to authorities.
After she was detained, Gisel told a court that Garcia Cota, known by the alias ‘El Kekas’, confessed to her when he came home that he “f***ed up three gringos”.
The court then heard she was shown the new tyres on her car which had allegedly been stolen from the white ute the Australian brothers were using.
A paddle-out memorial was held for the Robinson brothers last weekend, with hundreds taking part at Sorrento beach in Perth’s north-west.
Surfers, lifesavers, rowers and paddlers made their way out into the ocean, formed a circle, and raised their oars into the air in an emotional tribute.