Callum and Jake Robinson: Girlfriend Emily Horwath pens emotional post after Australian brothers killed in Mexico
The heartbroken girlfriend of one of the Australian brothers who died during a surfing trip in Mexico has written an emotional tribute to the young man, two months after he disappeared.
Brothers Jake, 30, and Callum Robinson, 33, and their friend Jack Rhoad, 30, were on a surfing and camping trip in Mexico’s Baja California region, near Ensenada, when they disappeared on April 27.
Family and friends took to social media to ask for help finding them after they failed to check into their Airbnb in Rosarito, near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Mexican authorities suspect the three were attacked by bandits to steal the tires of their truck. Then they killed them all and dumped their bodies in a well.
Four people have been arrested in connection with the deaths of the young men.
Callum’s girlfriend, Emily Horwath, who lives in San Diego, shared a touching post on Instagram on Friday, describing the immense impact he, his brother and Mr. Rhoad had on her.
She said that while she and Callum had mutual friends and often visited the same places, they first met at a bar in Pacific Beach in December 2022, when they were both on dates with other people.
Callum had asked if she used a chair at her table while her own date was in the bathroom before the pair recognized each other, and later formed a relationship.
Emily Horwath has written an emotional post in tribute to her friend Callum Robinson who died during a surfing trip in Mexico
Mrs. Horwath shared a heartfelt post about her late friend on Friday
Ms Horwath said her relationship was in line with the ‘red thread theory’, the idea that two people are connected for life by an imaginary thread, and although they may have crossed paths, they only meet when the time is right.
“From the moment we met, our connection was undeniable,” she wrote.
‘We both found peace in each other’s presence, safety in sharing vulnerabilities, inspiration in supporting each other’s passions, growth in holding each other accountable, and most importantly, pure joy in each other’s company.
‘Our relationship was the most magical connection I have ever experienced. And that’s exactly how I would describe Callum, he was magical.’
Mrs Horwath said her partner had the ability to light up any room with a smile and make everyone feel like they were the most important person to him.
“He lived and loved life, and life loved him back,” she said.
“He woke up every day with a passion and a determination to leave a positive impact on this world.
‘Callum greeted strangers with an Australian ‘G’day’, wrote the names and details of acquaintances he met in his phone so he wouldn’t forget them, petted every dog he came across and picked up any pieces of rubbish he found.
The couple met in December 2022, with Ms Horwath saying her partner had left a ‘huge impression’ on the world
“He wanted to leave the world cleaner and happier,” Ms Horwath said.
He didn’t realize that all his small actions had left a huge impact on this world.
‘I’m not sure I’ll ever understand a world without Callum and his energy. As I navigate this new world of unimaginable grief, I now understand that grief is love with nowhere to go.
‘The grief is heavy and drowning because the love for him is so immense.’
She said Callum’s brother Jake shared the same sense of adventure and “made the most of their time”.
Mr. Rhoad, who called Mrs. Horwath by his middle name Carter, was “full of life” with an “infectious energy.”
“The pain the world feels at the loss of Callum, Jake and Carter is indescribable,” she said.
‘You don’t meet people like that very often, if you ever meet them at all in your life.
“And when you do, cherish them.”
The Robinson brothers went to Coachella before heading to Mexico to surf. Callum (left) was based in the US, where he was a lacrosse player known as ‘the Big Koala’, and Jake (right), who worked in regional hospitals across Australia, had flown in to visit him
Prosecutors have released gruesome details about the killings, including that of 30-year-old American Jack Carter Rhoad (pictured)
The three men were about a 90-minute drive south of the U.S.-Mexico border when they disappeared just a few days into the trip.
Mexican authorities found shell casings at the campsite where the three men were last seen. Further investigation led them to a waterhole about 2 km away.
On May 3, three bodies were discovered, as well as a fourth body believed to be a local farmer.
It took rescuers up to 20 hours to pull the bodies out of the pit, with pphysical characteristics, including hair and clothing, that match those of the three men.
Attorney General María Andrade Ramírez previously said the murder investigation would determine whether the men were killed in an attempted robbery.
She said the thieves were likely interested in the men’s truck, a white Chevrolet Colorado pickup, and specifically its tires.
Jesus Gerardo, the suspected leader of the trio also known as ‘El Kekas’, appeared in court and will remain behind bars on kidnapping charges until his hearing in November this year.
Gerardo was arrested along with his brother Cristian Alejandro and girlfriend Ari Gisel.
A fourth person, from Santo Tomás, was arrested, but further details are unknown.
Callum was based in the US, where he was an accomplished lacrosse player known as ‘the Big Koala’, and his brother Jake, who worked in regional hospitals across Australia, had flown to San Diego to visit him.
Mr. Rhoad worked in technology services in San Diego.