Three Men Found Guilty in Murder of Australian Brothers and US Friend in Mexico
A Baja California court convicted three men of the killings of Jake and Callum Robinson and Carter Rhoad during a botched robbery in 2024.
Three men have been convicted of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad in Mexico in 2024. The verdict was delivered Friday in the Mexican state of Baja California.
The court heard that the tourists were killed in what appeared to be a robbery gone wrong, an attempt to steal their truck in a remote beach area. Their bodies were later discovered with gunshot wounds to the head, disposed of in a well.
The murders, which occurred shortly after the victims crossed into Mexico from the U.S., generated significant attention and sent shockwaves internationally, particularly in Australia, given the usual perceived safety of the region from broader cartel violence.
The parents of the Australian brothers, Martin and Debra Robinson, attended the trial in the coastal town of Ensenada and provided emotional testimony. Family members of Carter Rhoad participated in the trial remotely.
During the month-long proceedings, the prosecution had requested sentences of 150 years in prison for each of the defendants. In a separate trial last November, the girlfriend of the alleged ringleader, Jesús "El Kekas" Gerardo, was sentenced to 20 years after admitting to her involvement in the robbery.
The killings disturbed both locals and tourists in Ensenada, highlighting the perceived ease and senselessness of the violence. The town is a popular destination for surfers, and the murders underscored the persistent issue of extreme violence in parts of Mexico. Authorities suggested the victims, all in their early thirties, were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Their bodies were not discovered for another week after their deaths. In the aftermath, the surfing community in Ensenada held a memorial, paddling out at a local surf spot and casting flowers into the sea. Local surfers also called for enhanced security for residents and tourists, citing other instances of violence in the state. Tourism is a significant contributor to the regional economy of Baja California.
In response to concerns, the governor of Baja California, Marina del Pilar Ávila, stated that the region remains a safe destination for visitors and offered condolences to the families.