Three men found guilty of murders of Australian surfer brothers and US friend in Mexico
Quick Look
- A Mexican judge convicted three men for the April 2024 murders of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad during a surfing trip in Baja California.
- The victims were shot in a suspected robbery, sparking international outrage.
- The trial concluded with guilty verdicts for Jesus Gerardo, Irineo Francisco, and Angel Jesus, with family members testifying about their loss.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The victims were on a surfing trip to Mexico's Pacific coast when they were attacked in a remote beachside area in April 2024. Their bodies were found in a clifftop shaft with gunshot wounds to their heads. Baja California is known for organized crime and drug trafficking, though tourist areas are usually not affected.
A Mexican judge has convicted three men of the 2024 murders of two Australian surfers and their American friend in a case that sparked international outrage.
Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33 respectively, and their friend Carter Rhoad, 30, were on a surfing trip to Mexico’s Pacific coast when they were shot dead in Baja California state in a suspected robbery.
The deaths of the trio sparked an outpouring of grief and condemnation in Australia and the United States.
Jesus Gerardo – known as “El Kekas” – was accused of leading the attack. His surname has not been disclosed for legal reasons. He and two other defendants, Irineo Francisco and Angel Jesus, were found guilty on Friday local time.
Martin and Debra Robinson, the brothers’ parents, traveled from Australia to the port city of Ensenada for the trial, which began on 7 September.
“They took our sons from our lives forever,” said Debra Robinson, who testified on the final day of the trial. “What hurts us most is that, in their final hours, they were treated with such cruelty.”
Addressing the court at the start of the trial, Martin Robinson described his sons’ murders as “hell”.
“It’s hard for a parent to lose a son, and we lost two sons,” he said.
Rhoad’s mother, Page, and his fiance, Natalie Weirtz, also participated in the hearing in a video call from the United States.
“The accused are guilty and must be punished so that no other family suffers the same pain,” Weirtz said. “Since Carter’s death, I feel paranoid and isolated.”
The surfers were camping in a remote beachside area when they were attacked in April 2024. Their bodies were found in a clifftop shaft, with gunshot wounds to their heads.
Baja California is one of Mexico’s most violent states, plagued by organised crime and drug trafficking, although cartel activity does not usually affect tourists. Other foreign visitors have, however, been targeted in criminal attacks on Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Two Australian surfers, Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman, were killed in 2015 while traveling through the north-western state of Sinaloa. Their bodies were later burned.
More details soon …
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The convicted defendants will receive sentences following the verdict
Very likely · Within weeks
Families of the victims may advocate for increased safety measures for tourists in Baja California
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What was the motive behind the attack?
- Were the defendants acting alone or as part of a larger criminal group?
- Will there be any appeals following the conviction?
- Are there ongoing security concerns for foreign tourists in Baja California?
