There are journeys that begin with the simple promise of waves and sunlight, a respite from the ordinary rhythms of life. For two brothers from Perth and their American friend, a surfing trip to Mexico's Baja California coast in April 2024 was meant to be such a journey—a brief immersion in salt water and open sky. Instead, it ended in a tragedy that reached across continents, leaving families to navigate a grief that no verdict can fully quiet.
On Friday, a Mexican judge in the coastal city of Ensenada delivered the verdict that many had awaited for more than two years. Judge Raúl Hernández found three Mexican men guilty in the murders of Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33, and their friend Carter Rhoad, also 30 . The defendants—identified as Jesús Gerardo García, known by the alias "El Kekas," along with Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús—were convicted of aggravated homicide, aggravated robbery, and aggravated vehicle theft . They had been in custody since May 2024.
The court heard that the three tourists were camping near Punta San Jose, about 50 miles south of Ensenada, when they were attacked on April 27, 2024 . Prosecutors described a botched robbery that turned into something far darker. According to testimony from García's then-girlfriend, Ary Gisell Silva Raya, the three friends begged for their lives before they were shot . Their bodies were found days later at the bottom of a well, each with gunshot wounds to the head .
Silva Raya, who admitted to instigating the robbery to steal the pickup truck's tires, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in November 2025 . The three men convicted Friday chose to stand trial rather than accept a plea. They now await sentencing, which is scheduled for October 16. Prosecutors have requested 210 years for each defendant, though the maximum sentence in Baja California is 60 years .
Martin and Debra Robinson, the brothers' parents, traveled from Perth to attend every day of the month-long trial. When the guilty verdict was pronounced, Debra Robinson burst into tears . In a statement, Martin Robinson said that "while no verdict can ever bring back our boys or ease the heartbreak of losing them," the convictions marked "an important step towards justice and accountability" . Carter Rhoad's fiancée, Natalie Weirtz, addressed the court by video call, asking that the accused "must be punished so that no other family suffers the same pain" .
The case drew international attention not only because of the brutality of the crime but because it unfolded in a region known for its welcoming surf culture, a place where such violence felt distant until it was not. Human Rights Watch notes that fewer than 10 percent of homicides in Mexico result in a conviction—a statistic that lends the verdict a particular weight .
The three men will learn their formal sentences next week. For the families who have carried this loss across two years and an ocean, the verdict offers something that falls short of closure but may, in time, become a foundation for remembering—two brothers who loved the sea, and a friend who shared their journey to the very end.
AI Image Disclaimer: The imagery accompanying this report was generated by artificial intelligence for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual individuals or events described.
Sources: Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The New York Times, BBC, Associated Press, Reuters, The Age, Taipei Times
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