A Mexican judge laid out Wednesday the evidence against a man arrested in connection with the disappearance and killings of two Australian brothers and their American friend, including the testimony of a witness who told investigators that the suspect allegedly boasted that he attacked "three gringos."

Identified only by his first and middle names — as is customary in pending criminal cases in Mexico — Jesús Gerardo will remain in prison charged with forced disappearance, the judge ruled during a detention hearing in an Ensenada courthouse. Prosecutors have not filed murder charges in the case, although they said they expect to at a later date.

Callum Robinson, 33, an Australian living in San Diego, his visiting brother Jake Robinson, 30, and their friend Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, a U.S. citizen and San Diegan, were found dead last Friday in a remote area south of Ensenada after being reported missing while on a surfing trip. The trio was last seen on April 27.

More details of the investigation were revealed during the 40-minute hearing. The key witness is the suspect's girlfriend, who told investigators that the suspect said he committed the crime for the tires on their Chevrolet pickup. She was not present for the hearing Wednesday, but the judge read her statements in court.

While the trio was camping in a remote area in Punta San José in Santo Tomás, south of Ensenada, they were ambushed in a robbery by the suspect — nicknamed "El Kekas" — and others whose identities are still unknown, according to investigators.

Prosecutors said Sunday the victims were shot in the head while resisting the robbery.

The victims were supposed to check into an Airbnb in Rosarito. When their family and friends did not hear from them, one of the victim's concerned relatives drove to the campsite, as he knew there was no cellphone signal there, according to investigators. He found burned tents and two water containers with the logo of the company where one of the victim's worked.

At the scene, authorities found evidence such as blood stains, drag marks, a dental piece and a shell casing, leading them to believe that the group was attacked.

The suspect's girlfriend, 23, was detained last week by Ensenada police in possession of a cellphone believed to belong to one of the victims.

When questioned by authorities, she said that her partner left Saturday night in her Ford Ranger pickup and returned with the victims' vehicle.

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