Three men found guilty of murdering Australian surfers in Mexico

Three men were found guilty in Baja California, Mexico, of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their US friend Carter Rhoad during a 2024 surfing trip. The verdict was delivered on Friday at the court in the coastal town of Ensenada, ending a month-long trial over the killing of the Australian surfers and their US friend. Sentencing has not yet taken place.

Who are the three men convicted?

The court identified the defendants only as Jesús Gerardo, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús, because their full names could not be given for legal reasons. Prosecutors had sought 150 years in prison for each of the three, and they are likely to spend the rest of their lives in prison. No sentence has been handed down yet.

What happened to Jake and Callum Robinson and Carter Rhoad?

The three tourists, all in their early 30s, were killed in an apparent botched robbery of their truck in a secluded beach area. Their bodies were found dumped down a well with gunshot wounds to their heads. The killings happened barely 36 hours after they crossed into Mexico from the United States, and their bodies were not found for another week, when their families were able to identify them.

What did the victims’ families say in court?

Debra Robinson, the brothers’ mother, told the courtroom that the murders had taken “the future we had imagined with them”. She and her husband Martin attended the trial in Ensenada throughout and gave testimony during closing arguments before Friday’s verdict. “It’s hard for a parent to lose a son, and we lost two sons,” Martin Robinson said. Family members of Carter Rhoad joined the trial by video link.

Was anyone else sentenced over the case?

In November 2025, the girlfriend of alleged ringleader Jesús Gerardo, known by the alias “El Kekas”, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a separate trial. She had admitted to involvement in the robbery.

How did the murders affect Ensenada?

Ensenada has a reputation as a welcoming spot for surfers, and the killings shocked locals and tourists. The only explanation authorities gave was that the surfers had been murdered for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Local surfers turned out in force to honour the men by paddling out at a popular surfing spot and throwing flowers into the sea, and called for greater security for residents and visiting tourists, citing other recent examples of violence in the state. Tourism is a key part of the regional economy in Baja California.

State Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila said: “Baja California is and will continue to be a state with safe tourism for the thousands of people who visit us from the rest of the country and the world.” She added: “I send my condolences and solidarity to the families at this difficult time.”

Frequently asked questions

Who was convicted of murdering the Australian surfers in Mexico?

Three men, identified in court only as Jesús Gerardo, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús, were found guilty in Baja California of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their US friend Carter Rhoad. Their full names could not be published for legal reasons.

What sentence did the three men receive?

They have not been sentenced yet. Prosecutors had sought 150 years in prison for each defendant, and the men are likely to spend the rest of their lives in prison.

Where and when were the bodies of the three surfers found?

Their bodies were found dumped down a well with gunshot wounds to their heads, about a week after they were killed while on a surfing trip in Baja California in 2024. Their families identified them.

Has anyone else been sentenced over the case?

In November 2025, the girlfriend of alleged ringleader Jesús Gerardo, alias “El Kekas”, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a separate trial after admitting involvement in the robbery.

With reporting from BBC News.

Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Joe deSousa / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)