According to one dad, these guys apparently fished this spot several nights a week, so I think someone was waiting for them. I think beating the crap out of them, in addition to shooting them, shows it was personal or revenge of some kind. If it wasn't personal they would have just shot them and not beaten them. Or, it could be one of them was involved with drugs and someone wanted to send a message to others. Edit: sheriff says drugs were not involved as far as they know. Someone may have followed the first guy they killed and the other two came up on them right after.