Mexico Trial Nears Verdict in Killing of US, Australian Surfers
Closing arguments have been delivered in the case of three men accused of murdering three friends on a surfing trip.
The trial for three men accused of the 2024 murders of two Australian brothers and their American friend in Mexico is nearing a verdict, with closing arguments presented Thursday. A judge is scheduled to announce a decision Friday.
Callum and Jake Robinson, Australian nationals, and their American companion, Jack Carter Rhoad, were on a surfing trip in Baja California when they disappeared in April 2024. Their bodies were discovered on May 3 in a well near Punta San José, south of Ensenada. Their burnt truck was found at a nearby ranch.
Prosecutors allege that Jesús Gerardo García, known as “El Kekas,” approached the surfers' tent with a handgun, intending to steal parts from their vehicle. According to testimony from García's former partner, Ary Gisell Silva Raya, the victims resisted, and one pleaded for his life before García allegedly shot them. Prosecutors believe García then disposed of their bodies in a well.
Silva Raya previously pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated robbery and violent vehicle theft and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in November. Authorities reported finding one of the victims' phones in her possession.
García and two other defendants, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús, chose to proceed to trial.
Martin and Debra Robinson, parents of the Australian brothers, traveled from Australia to attend the proceedings. Debra Robinson addressed the court, stating, "Our children were taken from us and our lives changed forever." She questioned how "someone so kind" could die at the hands of "ruthless people," recalling that the victims had pleaded for mercy.
Natalie Rob, Rhoad's wife, also spoke to the court via video call, describing the profound grief of living without her husband and expressing hope that the defendants would repent.
Baja California Attorney General María Elena Andrade Ramírez stated that the alleged motive was the attempted theft of tires and other vehicle parts. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of tourists in popular Mexican destinations.