Three Convicted in Baja California Surfer Murders

A judge in Ensenada, Baja California, found three men guilty of murdering Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend Carter Redd Rhoad, who were visiting Mexico on a surfing trip in April 2024. Jesús Gerardo García, known as “El Kekas,” Irineo Francisco “N” and Ángel Jesús “N” were also convicted of armed robbery and armed carjacking. The judge is scheduled to announce their sentences on Oct. 16; prosecutors have requested 210 years in prison for each defendant. The three friends went missing after traveling to the area around Punta San Jose, about 50 miles from Ensenada. Their bodies were found in a well on May 3, 2024. The case attracted international attention, and the victims’ parents attended the trial. Their mother, Debra Robinson, said the murders had taken “the future we had imagined with them.” Their father, Martin Robinson, said, “It's hard for a parent to lose a son, and we lost two sons.” During the monthlong trial, testimony described the attack. Ary Gisell Silva Raya, García’s former partner, said García confessed to arriving at the victims’ tent with a 9 mm pistol. She testified that the surfers tried to give up their belongings to stop him from attacking and that one pleaded for his life. Prosecutors said Silva Raya had encouraged an associate to rob the three men. She pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery with violence and vehicle theft with violence and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in November 2025. García and the two other defendants instead went to trial.

A Mexican court convicted three men on Friday of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend, Carter Rhoad, during a 2024 surfing trip in Baja California. The three victims, all around 30 years old, were camping in a remote beachside area near Ensenada when they were attacked in what authorities described as a suspected robbery. Their bodies were found days later in a well, each with gunshot wounds to the head. The judge found that the defendants had acted with premeditation. Sentencing has not yet taken place. Prosecutors are seeking an “exemplary sentence” of 210 years for each defendant, although the maximum prison sentence in Baja California is 60 years. The victims’ parents attended the hearing. Their mother, Debra Robinson, cried when the verdict was announced, while their father, Martin Robinson, said the convictions were an important step toward justice and accountability, though they could not undo the family’s loss. During closing arguments, prosecutors recounted testimony from the girlfriend of one of the principal suspects. She said Rhoad had pleaded for his life and that her boyfriend later bragged about how his victims cried before he robbed them. The killings shocked Mexico and attracted international attention. The article notes that Baja California is among Mexico’s most violent states and faces organized crime and drug trafficking, but says cartel activity does not usually affect tourists.

Three men have been convicted of the 2024 murders of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad, who were killed during a surfing trip in Baja California, Mexico. The judge found that defendants Jesus Gerardo, known as “El Kekas,” Irineo Francisco and Angel Jesus acted with premeditation. Gerardo was accused of leading the attack, which prosecutors described as a suspected robbery. The men were camping at a remote beach when they were attacked; their bodies were later found in a clifftop shaft with gunshot wounds to the head. The Robinsons’ parents travelled from Australia to attend the trial in Ensenada. Debra Robinson testified about the cruelty her sons endured and broke down when the verdict was announced. She and Martin Robinson said the conviction cannot reverse their loss, though they hope it is a step toward justice. The parents said they want to focus on remembering their sons rather than giving the convicted men notoriety. Martin Robinson also said a foundation established in Jake and Callum’s names would continue their legacy. Rhoad’s mother and fiancée joined the hearing remotely. His fiancée said the defendants should be punished so that other families do not experience similar suffering, and described feeling paranoid and isolated since his death. Sentencing is scheduled for 16 October. Prosecutors sought 210 years in prison for each defendant, although the maximum sentence in Baja California is 60 years. The article places the killings in the context of violence in Baja California, where organised crime and drug trafficking are prevalent, while noting that cartel activity does not usually affect tourists. It also recalls the 2015 murders of Australian surfers Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman in Sinaloa. In November 2025, Ary Gisell Silva, the main defendant’s then-girlfriend, received a 20-year sentence after admitting she instigated the robbery.