A Mexican judge has sentenced three men to 158 years and nine months in prison each for the 2024 murders of Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad during a surf trip to Baja California.
The defendants — identified only as Jesus Gerardo Garcia, alias "El Kekas", Irineo Francisco, and Angel Jesus — were convicted of homicide, robbery with violence, and vehicle theft with violence. Their surnames were withheld for legal reasons.
The guilty verdict was handed down a week before Friday's sentencing, which the victims' families followed via video link. The brothers' parents, Martin and Debra Robinson, travelled from Australia to the coastal city of Ensenada to attend the trial in person, which began on 7 September.
The three friends had travelled to Mexico in late April 2024 to surf at a beach in Punta San Jose, near Ensenada. They camped on the beach on the night of 27 April 2024. When they were reported missing for several days, authorities launched a multi-day search with assistance from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. Their bodies were found on 3 May in a well more than 15 metres deep, all with gunshot wounds to the head.
Prosecutors had requested a sentence of 210 years in prison for each defendant, as well as damages of more than $100,000. The judge rejected the damages claim, ruling that any compensation would have to be pursued through civil proceedings.
In November last year, the girlfriend of the alleged ringleader, Jesus Gerardo, was sentenced in a separate trial to 20 years in prison after admitting involvement in the robbery.
Debra Robinson told the courtroom that her sons' murders had taken "the future we had imagined with them." Martin Robinson said last week that the "guilty verdict is a significant moment in our long and painful journey to seek justice for our beautiful sons, Callum and Jake, and their friend Carter Rhoad, whose lives were so cruelly taken from them in 2024."
Antonio Otanez, president of the Baja California surfers' association, welcomed the outcome, saying "justice has been served." He acknowledged that the killings had caused a "major drop" in tourist visits to the region, particularly by surfers.
Callum Robinson, 33, had moved to the United States as a professional lacrosse player and was remembered for his passion for the environment, including involvement in coastal cleanups. His brother Jake, 30, was a doctor who had been set to take up a position at Geelong hospital upon returning to Australia. He was remembered for his academic achievements, his love of cricket and surfing, and his compassion. Carter Rhoad was also 30 years old.
The families have established the Callum and Jake Robinson Foundation in the brothers' memory, with the aim of helping "people live bigger, shine brighter and love harder in their honour."
The murders drew international attention and exposed the risks faced by foreign visitors in parts of Mexico. Baja California is one of the country's most violent states, affected by organised crime and drug trafficking, though cartel activity does not typically target tourists. Authorities said the three surfers appeared to have been killed in a botched robbery, having crossed into Mexico from the United States barely 36 hours before the attack.
Local surfers and residents called for greater security for both residents and visiting tourists, citing other recent incidents of violence in the state. Tourism is a key part of the regional economy in Baja California.
