A Mexican court convicts three of murdering Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and American Carter Rhoad. Sentencing is October 16
ENSENADA, MEXICO — Three men have been convicted of murdering Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and American Carter Rhoad during a 2024 surfing trip. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16.
A Mexican court has found three men guilty of killing two Australian brothers and their American friend during a surfing holiday in Baja California, bringing a significant judicial development in a case that drew international attention after the travelers disappeared in April 2024.
The verdict was delivered on Friday, October 9, 2026, after several weeks of hearings in the coastal city of Ensenada. Judge Raúl Hernández Arellano found Jesús Gerardo García, known as "El Kekas," along with Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús, guilty of aggravated homicide and offenses involving violent robbery and vehicle theft.
The victims were Australian brothers Callum Robinson, 33, and Jake Robinson, 30, and their American friend Carter Rhoad, also 30.
Their bodies were discovered in an isolated well on May 3, 2024, after they failed to return from a surfing and camping trip along Mexico's Pacific coast.
The convictions establish criminal responsibility at the trial-court level, but the punishment has not yet been determined. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 16.
Ensenada Court Delivers Guilty Verdict After Weeks of Testimony
The ruling followed a trial examining the circumstances in which the three travelers were killed while camping near Punta San José, approximately 80 kilometers south of Ensenada.
Prosecutors argued that the victims were targeted during a robbery involving their pickup truck and that the confrontation escalated into a triple homicide.
The court found all three defendants criminally responsible for the killings and related offenses.
The men had been in custody for more than two years while the case moved through the Mexican justice system.
García, identified by authorities as a principal participant in the attack, was tried alongside Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús. Mexican news reports have generally withheld the complete identifying details of the latter two defendants in accordance with local legal conventions.
The convictions were particularly significant because the killings had attracted widespread attention in Australia, the United States and Mexico.
For the victims' families, the decision represented an important step toward accountability after more than two years of legal proceedings and unanswered questions.
However, the verdict does not end the judicial process. The court must still determine the penalties, and any subsequent legal challenges would be governed by the relevant Mexican procedures.
How a Surfing Holiday Turned Into a Triple Homicide
Callum and Jake Robinson had traveled to Baja California with Carter Rhoad to enjoy the region's Pacific surf breaks.
The area around Ensenada is known for its rugged coastline and beaches that attract visitors seeking outdoor recreation away from large resort developments.
The three friends were camping near Punta San José in late April 2024 when they disappeared.
Concerns grew after their relatives and friends were unable to contact them, prompting an increasingly urgent search.
Mexican authorities subsequently located a burned pickup truck associated with the travelers.
On May 3, investigators recovered three bodies from a well in a remote coastal area south of Ensenada.
The victims were later identified as the two Australian brothers and their American companion.
Investigators determined that the men had suffered gunshot wounds, and prosecutors developed a case connecting their deaths to an attempted robbery.
According to the prosecution's account, the attackers sought to steal the travelers' vehicle or valuable components from it.
When the victims resisted, the confrontation became fatal.
The bodies were then concealed, while the vehicle was burned nearby.
The discovery ended the search for the missing friends but marked the beginning of a prolonged effort to establish exactly who was responsible and secure convictions.
The investigation also involved cooperation with American authorities, including assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Testimony Revealed Details of the Fatal Confrontation
Evidence presented during the trial included testimony from Ary Gisell Silva Raya, a former partner of Jesús Gerardo García.
Silva Raya had previously admitted involvement in offenses connected to the crime and received a 20-year prison sentence in November 2025.
Her testimony offered the court an account of events surrounding the confrontation at the travelers' campsite.
According to reporting on the proceedings, she described García approaching the men's tent with a handgun as the robbery unfolded.
The victims attempted to resist the threat, and one reportedly pleaded for his life before the fatal shooting.
These details formed part of the evidence considered by the court and were reported through testimony rather than independent observations by journalists at the scene.
Prosecutors also relied on the investigation into the travelers' vehicle, the discovery of their remains and evidence connecting the defendants to the crimes.
The defense challenged aspects of the prosecution's case, including the reliability and handling of evidence.
Nevertheless, the court found the evidence sufficient to convict the three men.
The ruling marks a substantial change from the initial investigation, when authorities were working to identify suspects and determine whether the travelers had been targeted for robbery.
The proceedings have now produced criminal findings against the three defendants, although the sentencing stage remains outstanding.
Parents Welcome Verdict but Say Loss Cannot Be Reversed
Martin and Debra Robinson, the parents of Callum and Jake, traveled from Western Australia to attend the proceedings in Ensenada.
Their presence reflected the personal importance of the case, which has remained a central part of their lives since the deaths of their sons.
After the verdict, Martin Robinson described the decision as a meaningful development in the family's long pursuit of justice.
He also acknowledged that no judicial outcome could restore the lives that had been lost.
The parents thanked those involved in the prosecution and the diplomatic representatives who had assisted them during the process.
Debra Robinson expressed hope that the convictions would prevent the responsible men from inflicting similar suffering on other families.
The couple has sought to keep attention on the lives and memories of their sons, rather than allowing their identities to be defined solely by the circumstances of their deaths.
The case has also deeply affected Carter Rhoad's family and friends in the United States.
The three men shared an enthusiasm for surfing and travel, interests that had brought them together on the Baja California coast.
Their deaths prompted expressions of grief from surfing communities and people across several countries who followed the original search.
The court's verdict provides a measure of legal accountability, but it does not diminish the enduring consequences for those who knew the victims.
Prosecutors Seek Long Prison Terms Ahead of October 16 Hearing
The next significant stage of the case is the sentencing hearing scheduled for Friday, October 16.
Baja California Attorney General María Elena Andrade Ramírez has indicated that prosecutors are seeking exceptionally lengthy prison terms for those convicted.
Australian and Mexican reporting has cited a request for cumulative sentences totaling 210 years for each defendant.
Other reporting, including Reuters, has referred to a prosecution request of up to 150 years.
The difference between those figures has not been definitively reconciled in the publicly available reports. It is therefore important to distinguish the sentences requested by prosecutors from the penalties the court ultimately imposes.
Some reports have also identified statutory limits affecting the amount of time a convicted person may actually be required to serve.
A sentence announced in the form of multiple cumulative terms does not necessarily mean that a prisoner can legally serve their arithmetic total.
The applicable rules depend on Mexican and Baja California criminal law, including the classification of the offenses and the sentencing framework used by the court.
For now, the confirmed development is that the defendants have been convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
The judge's decision on October 16 will determine the next formal outcome in the proceedings, although it may not necessarily conclude every available legal process.
Why the Baja California Case Drew International Attention
The murders renewed scrutiny of security in Baja California, a region with important international tourism links but also longstanding problems involving organized crime and violent offenses.
Ensenada and surrounding coastal communities attract visitors from Mexico, the United States, Australia and elsewhere.
The region's beaches are particularly well known within international surfing circles.
The victims were visiting for recreation rather than participating in a commercial dispute or criminal activity.
That circumstance helped make the killings especially shocking to families and travelers who regard surfing destinations as places for outdoor adventure and cultural exchange.
However, this case should not be treated as evidence that every visitor to Baja California faces the same level of risk.
Travel safety varies across municipalities, routes, neighborhoods and activities, and official government advisories provide more specific guidance than any individual criminal case.
The U.S. State Department has issued warnings concerning crime and kidnapping risks in Baja California.
Travelers planning remote coastal excursions may benefit from consulting current official advisories, maintaining reliable communications, arranging suitable transport and ensuring trusted contacts know their intended route.
Those precautions can reduce some travel vulnerabilities, but they do not eliminate the possibility of violent crime or imply that victims are responsible for attacks committed against them.
The triple murder also highlighted the international dimension of investigations involving foreign nationals.
Mexican police and prosecutors retained responsibility for the criminal case, while foreign consular officials and investigative agencies provided support connected to their citizens.
Such cooperation can help families obtain information and assist domestic authorities without replacing the jurisdiction of the country where the offenses occurred.
Verdict Brings Accountability as Families Await Sentencing
The October 9 ruling represents a major legal development in a case that began with three missing travelers and ended with the discovery of their bodies in an isolated well.
Investigators connected the killings to a violent robbery, and the court has now found three men guilty of responsibility for the deaths.
A fourth person, Ary Gisell Silva Raya, had already received a prison sentence for related offenses.
The convictions provide a judicial answer to the central question of criminal responsibility, while the exact penalties remain for the court to decide.
For the Robinson and Rhoad families, the proceedings have unfolded across international borders and more than two years of mourning.
Their experience illustrates the lasting consequences of violent crime, especially when loved ones are killed far from home.
Attention will now turn to the October 16 sentencing hearing, when the court is expected to announce the punishments for Jesús Gerardo García, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús.
The ruling cannot undo the murders of Callum Robinson, Jake Robinson and Carter Rhoad, but it establishes an important legal milestone in the effort to hold their killers accountable.
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