Heartbreaking engagement photos show California surfer who was murdered in ... trends now
The American man who was gunned down alongside two Australian friends on a surfing holiday in Mexico was just weeks away from getting married, his devastated friends have revealed.
Jack Carter Rhoad, 33, was found dead on Saturday with a single gunshot wound to his head alongside his friends in an abandoned well overlooking the ocean outside Rosarito in Baja California.
The recruitment worker from San Diego was due to marry his fiancée Natalie Wiertz this summer - and had joined Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson for the road trip down the Pacific coast before his big day.
Natalie, 32, had just enjoyed her bachelorette party in Florida's Key West in April, where was the beaming bride-to-be was pictured partying with her friends.
One friend of her friends, Aubrey Byers, has set up an appeal following the tragedy.
Jack Carter Rhode, 33, was due to marry fiancée Natalie Wiertz, 32, this summer but was murdered alongside two friends on a surfing trip to Mexico
Carter's final Facebook post shows Natalie screaming with delight as he kneeled down on a beach at sunset to slip a ring onto her finger
The couple had booked a venue in Columbus, Ohio, for their wedding on August 16
'We've created this GoFundMe page to rally support for Natalie during this unimaginably difficult time and provide essentials such as housing, food, transportation, and more,' she wrote.
'Our hearts ache with grief for their families, friends, and community. Their presence brought immeasurable joy, love, and kindness to those around them, leaving a mark on our lives.'
Carter, originally from Atlanta, announced his engagement with his last ever Facebook post in July of last year.
The pictures show Natalie screaming with delight as he kneeled down on a beach at sunset to slip a ring onto her finger.
And the timer is still ticking down on the webpage for what was to have been their wedding this August in Columbus, Ohio.
Carter had visited Mexico throughout his adult life after volunteering for a medical mission in Guatemala at 19.
'Obstacles are just opportunities in costumes,' he wrote on his LinkedIn page. 'They can be scary or they can be fun just depends on how you look at them.
'Building genuine relationships is one of the most rewarding things in life, and I feel humbled every day by the people who surround me.'
Natalie, a clothing designer for Vanity Fair Brands in San Diego, looked radiant as her upcoming wedding was celebrated by friends in the Florida sunshine.
Carter was a Point Loma Nazarene University graduate who moved to San Diego from his childhood home in Georgia
He had launched his own range of fashion before becoming a recruitment consultant
Carter had visited Mexico throughout his adult life after volunteering for a medical mission in Guatemala at 19
Natalie looked radiant as she joined pals for a hen weekend in Key West last month
The fashion designer enjoyed the sunshine and nightlife on her Florida trip
Pal Aubrey Byers, left, has set up a Gofundme appeal to help her out
Carter had joined his friends for the road trip south after the two brothers enjoyed a weekend at the Coachella Festival.
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 out to San Diego two weeks ago to visit him.
Earlier, Daily Mail Australia revealed that Callum's devastated girlfriend Emily Horwath shared a heartfelt tribute on social media.
'You are one of one,' she captioned a photo of the couple sharing a kiss.
'I will love you forever.'
She also posted an Instagram story which said: 'My heart is shattered into a million pieces, I don't have the words right now.'
'This world lost one of its kindest, silliest and most genuine of souls this week. Rest easy. I miss you.'
The three were just a few days into their vacation when they disappeared on April 27.
In social media posts shared by Callum just before they vanished, the trio was seen relaxing at Rosarito Beach, where they were said to be surfing and camping as they moved up and down Mexico's west
