Three men convicted of killing Australian surfers and US friend in Mexico
Three men, the identities of whom are withheld for legal reasons, have been found guilty of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their U.S. friend Carter Rhoad during a surfing trip in Baja California.
According to the court, the trio allegedly robbed the travelers’ truck in a secluded beach area and then fled, leaving the victims with gunshot wounds to the head before dumping the bodies in a well.
Debra Robinson, the brothers’ mother, told the courtroom that the killings had taken “the future we had imagined with them.” Her husband Martin also testified, describing the loss as “hard for a parent to lose a son, and we lost two sons.”
The court has not yet imposed sentences; prosecutors are seeking a total of 150 years in prison across the three defendants.
The Sunday trial followed the 20‑year sentence handed to the girlfriend of the alleged ringleader, Jesús Gerardo, a.k.a. “El Kekas,” who admitted to aiding the robbery.
The murders shocked both locals and tourists in Ensenada, a popular surfing destination that has long been considered safe compared to other parts of Mexico.
In a statement, state Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila urged reassurance that “Baja California is and will continue to be a state with safe tourism for the thousands of people who visit us from the rest of the country and the world.”
The case has reignited calls for improved security for residents and visitors amid rising concerns over violence in the region.
