Three Men Sentenced to 158 Years for Murder of Surfers in Mexico
The defendants were convicted of killing Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad, reportedly to steal their truck's tires.
Three men in Mexico have been sentenced to 158 years and nine months each for the murders of Australian surfers Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad. A federal judge in Ensenada, Baja California, handed down the sentences Friday, convicting Jesús Gerardo García, Irineo Francisco, and Ángel Jesús of murder, robbery with violence, and vehicle theft with violence.
An accomplice, Ary Gisell Silva Raya, received a 20-year sentence in November after agreeing to an abbreviated trial for aggravated robbery with violence and vehicle theft with violence.
Authorities stated that the trio killed the surfers in April 2024, reportedly to steal the tires from their truck. According to Baja California prosecutor María Elena Andrade, one attacker used a gun to kill the first victim who resisted, and then proceeded to kill the other two.
The bodies of the three friends, who were on a surfing trip in Punta San José, were discovered in a well in Baja California in May 2024.
The parents of the Robinson brothers attended the sentencing hearing, with their father Martin Robinson stating that the guilty verdict marked a significant conclusion to their search for justice.
The incident garnered international attention and had a notable impact on the local tourism-dependent economy. Antonio Otañez, president of the Baja California surfers association, expressed satisfaction with the verdict but acknowledged a significant downturn in tourism following the event.
