Three surfers murdered in Baja California botched robbery
Three Mexican men were each sentenced to 158 years and nine months in prison for the 2024 murders of two Australian brothers and their American friend during a surf trip near Ensenada, a case that shocked the global tourism community.
Three young surfers from Australia and the United States were brutally killed during a beach camping trip on Mexico's Baja California coast in late April 2024. The victims were Australian brothers Callum Robinson, 33, and Jake Robinson, 30, and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad, 30.
The murders happened 36 hours after the victims crossed from the US into Mexico. They were shot dead on April 27, 2024, in a botched robbery targeting their truck while camping near Ensenada city at Punta San Jose. The bodies were discovered on May 3 in a well more than 15 metres deep, with gunshot wounds to the head.
Mexican perpetrators receive historic sentences
Three Mexican men were sentenced to 158 years and nine months in prison each for homicide, robbery with violence and vehicle theft with violence. The defendants were found guilty a week before sentencing in Ensenada, Baja California. The convicted killers were identified as Jesús Gerardo, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús. Jesús Gerardo is the alleged ringleader, also known as "El Kekas".
The Baja California State Attorney General’s Office had previously requested a 210-year sentence for each defendant. The defence team has 10 days to appeal the sentence.
Botched robbery motive confirmed
The killings were linked to an apparent botched robbery of the victims' white pickup truck. The truck was found burned several kilometres away from the crime scene. Judge Raul Hernandez Arellano stated the crimes were aggravated by the victims being unarmed and attacked at night in a remote location. The three convicts had time to consider the crime before proceeding.
In November 2023, the girlfriend of Jesús Gerardo, Gisell Silva, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated robbery with violence and vehicle theft with violence.
Local and international reaction
The murders sent shockwaves around the world, disturbing locals and tourists in Ensenada, a town known for welcoming surfers. The US State Department urged Americans to reconsider travel to Baja California due to crime and kidnapping risks following the killings. Local surfers called for increased security for residents and visiting tourists.
Ensenada and Baja California rely heavily on tourism for their regional economy. The area is usually considered safer than other parts of Mexico, but the killings highlighted extreme violence. Tourism in the region was impacted, with a major drop in tourist visits, particularly by surfers.
Justice process and aftermath
The trial began on September 7 and included 24 hearings before concluding with a guilty verdict. The case was investigated with assistance from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which aided in the days-long search that recovered the bodies from the clifftop well.
The victims were initially reported missing after failing to check into their accommodation as planned. Their bodies were discovered a week later, allowing families to identify them. The family established a foundation in the victims' name to help people live bigger, shine brighter and love harder in their honour.
Martin Robinson, father of the victims, described the guilty verdict as a significant moment in their long and painful journey to seek justice. Debra Robinson said the verdict was a step in dealing with the loss of the future we had imagined with them.
