Three convicted of killing two Australian surfers and American friend
Three men have been convicted of murdering two Australian brothers, Jake and Callum Robinson, and their American friend Carter Rhoad during a surfing trip to Mexico in 2024. The murders occurred during what appeared to be a botched carjacking in a secluded beach area, with the victims killed by gunshot wounds to the head and their bodies dumped in a well. The verdict, delivered on Friday in Baja California, marks the conclusion of a month-long trial that gripped Australia and raised serious questions about safety in a region known for welcoming tourists and surfers.
The three surfers were all in their early thirties and were killed just 36 hours after entering Mexico from the United States, with their bodies not discovered for a week. The prosecution had sought 150 years in prison for each defendant, and separately, the girlfriend of the alleged ringleader, Jesús "El Kekas" Gerardo, was sentenced to twenty years in a prior trial for her role in the robbery. The murders shocked the coastal town of Ensenada, which built its economy on tourism and had not been associated with the extreme violence seen elsewhere in Mexico, prompting local officials to reassure visitors whilst the surfing community held a memorial paddling out to sea.
- Three men convicted of murdering three surfers in a 2024 Mexico incident
- Victims killed in apparent botched carjacking, bodies found in a well
- Verdict ends month-long trial that shocked Australia and international community
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Three surfers – Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and American Carter Rhoad – were killed during a surfing trip to Mexico in 2024. All in their early thirties, they were shot in the head at a secluded beach during what appeared to be a botched carjacking attempt, with their bodies later found in a well.
The murders sent shockwaves through Australia and the international surfing community, raising serious questions about tourist safety in Mexico. Ensenada, the coastal town where the killings took place, has built its economy on welcoming surfers and tourists, and the case prompted local authorities to reassure visitors whilst the community held memorial services to honour the three men.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Three men found guilty of murdering two Australian surfer brothers and US friend”.