Three Mexican killers each sentenced to 158 years, nine months in prison for killing Australian surfers
Attack near Ensenada
Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33, were on a surfing trip with their friend Carter Rhoad, 30, along Mexico’s Pacific coast. They were camping in a remote beach area near Ensenada when they were attacked on April 27, 2024.
Their bodies were discovered days later in a well on a cliff, with gunshot wounds to their heads. Investigators said a 9mm pistol and a .45-caliber pistol were used. Police also found bloodstains and drag marks at the group’s last known campsite.
Judge hands down sentences
Judge Raul Hernandez ruled that the three defendants acted with premeditation. They were identified by their first names as Jesus Gerardo, Irineo Francisco and Angel Jesus. Jesus Gerardo, known as “el Kekas,” had a criminal record before the killings.
Each man received a sentence of 158 years and nine months. Prosecutors had sought damages exceeding $100,000, but the judge rejected that request and said compensation would need to be sought in civil proceedings.
Robbery motive and evidence
Chief state prosecutor María Elena Andrade Ramírez said she believed the men noticed the group’s pickup truck and tents and wanted to steal its tires and other parts. She said the surfers were unlikely to have been singled out because they were tourists.
Prosecutors said the attackers burned the tents and truck and moved the bodies to a difficult-to-reach well about four miles away. The well was covered with boards, Andrade Ramírez said, and removing the bodies took two hours. Investigators found a fourth body there, but the defendants have not been charged in connection with that death.
Families speak after verdict
The Robinsons’ parents traveled from Australia for the month-long trial and left after the verdict. Martin Robinson said losing a son was hard for a parent and that his family had lost two sons. Debra Robinson said the cruelty her sons endured in their final hours was especially painful.
Rhoad’s mother, Page, said the sentence could not restore her son but expressed gratitude that the men would not hurt anyone else. His fiancée, Natalie Weirtz, addressed the court by video link and urged punishment so another family would not suffer the same pain. Rhoad and Weirtz had planned to marry a few months after his death.
Violence along Pacific coast
Baja California is among Mexico’s most violent states and faces organized crime and drug trafficking, though cartel activity does not usually affect tourists. The killings shocked Ensenada, a surfing destination that draws visitors from around the world.
Other foreign visitors have also been attacked on Mexico’s Pacific coast. Australian surfers Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman were murdered in Sinaloa in 2015, and their bodies were later burned.
Key points
- Three men were sentenced to 158 years and nine months each for the 2024 killings.
- The judge ruled that the attackers acted with premeditation during an attempted robbery.
- The court said compensation must be pursued through civil proceedings.
- Investigators found a fourth body at the site, but no related charges have been filed.