Three Men Convicted in Baja California Surfer Murders

Debra Robinson, the mother of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, has asked a Mexican court to impose the maximum prison sentences on the three men accused of killing her sons and their American friend, Jack Carter Rhoad. The men were shot dead in April 2024 after being robbed during a surfing and camping trip in Baja California. Their bodies were later found at the bottom of a well along Mexico’s Pacific coast. The defendants—Jesús Gerardo, also known as “El Kekas,” Irineo Francisco, and Ángel Jesús—face charges including aggravated homicide and robbery. Gerardo could receive a sentence of up to 378 years. The defence questioned the investigation and the credibility of prosecution witnesses during closing arguments in Ensenada. The defendants rejected earlier plea deals that would have resulted in prison terms of 47 to 52 years. Ahead of a verdict expected on Friday, Robinson told the court that Jake and Callum were her and her husband Martin’s only children, and that their deaths had also taken away the future they had imagined with them. She acknowledged that no sentence could restore her sons, but said accountability and protecting other families mattered. She also described the victims’ final moments, saying they surrendered their belongings and begged not to be killed. Rhoad’s fiancée, Natalie Weirtz, spoke on behalf of his family, described him as a person devoted to helping young people, and called for justice to be served to the highest degree. The Robinsons had attended most of the trial and were due to leave Mexico on October 9. Separately, Ari Gisell, Gerardo’s former girlfriend, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined for her role in the robbery.

Three men identified as Jesús Gerardo, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús have been found guilty of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad during a surfing trip in Mexico in 2024. The defendants have not yet been sentenced, but prosecutors sought 150 years in prison for each. Their full names were withheld for legal reasons. The month-long trial in Ensenada, Baja California, heard that the three tourists were killed in an apparent attempt to rob their truck at a secluded beach. They were shot in the head and their bodies were dumped in a well. The men had crossed into Mexico from the United States less than 36 hours before they were killed; their families identified their bodies about a week later. In a separate trial, the girlfriend of alleged ringleader Jesús Gerardo, known as “El Kekas,” was sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting involvement in the robbery. The victims’ families gave emotional testimony before the verdict. Their mother, Debra Robinson, said the murders took away the future the family had imagined with her sons. Their father, Martin Robinson, spoke of the pain of losing two sons, while members of Rhoad’s family joined proceedings by video link. The Robinsons also expressed gratitude for the support they had received from Australians. The killings shocked people in Australia and Mexico, particularly because Ensenada is known as a welcoming surf destination. Local surfers commemorated the victims by paddling out and scattering flowers, while also calling for better security. The case highlighted concerns about persistent violence in Mexico, even in areas that attract tourists. Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila offered condolences and sought to reassure the public that the state would remain safe for visitors.

The trial of three men accused of murdering Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend, Jack Carter Rhoad, reached its final stage Thursday in Baja California, Mexico. Prosecutors and defense attorneys presented closing arguments after a month of hearings, and a judge is scheduled to deliver a verdict Friday on charges of murder and aggravated robbery. The case has drawn attention to concerns about the safety of tourists in Mexico. The victims traveled to Baja California in April 2024 to surf near Punta San José, roughly 50 miles from Ensenada. They were reported missing soon after arriving, and their bodies were found on May 3 in a well near the area. The Robinsons’ parents, Martin and Debra, traveled from Australia to attend the trial, which began Sept. 7. Debra asked the court for exemplary punishment, describing the loss of her sons and recalling that the victims had pleaded for mercy. Rhoad’s wife, Natalie Rob, addressed the court by video, describing life without her husband as the greatest pain of her life and expressing hope that the defendants would repent. Four people were arrested in connection with the killings. Ary Gisell Silva Raya, the former partner of accused killer Jesús Gerardo García, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and violent vehicle theft and was sentenced to 20 years in prison last November. The other defendants—García, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús—chose to stand trial. Silva Raya testified that García had confessed to approaching the surfers’ tent with a 9 mm handgun. She said the men threw their belongings at him to defend themselves and that one pleaded for his life. Prosecutors allege García tried to steal tires and other parts from the victims’ pickup, shot the men when they resisted, and concealed their bodies in a well.