A Mexican judge has convicted three men of the 2024 murders of two Australian surfers and their American friend during a surfing trip on the Pacific coast of Baja California.
Victims: Jake Robinson 30, Callum Robinson 33, Carter Rhoad 30. Attack in April 2024, bodies found in a clifftop shaft, gunshot wounds to the heads. The attack was suspected to be a robbery.
Jesus Gerardo, known as ‘El Kekas’, whose surname remains undisclosed for legal reasons, and two other defendants, Irineo Francisco and Angel Jesus, were found guilty on Friday local time. The trial began on 7 September, and parents Martin and Debra Robinson travelled from Australia to Ensenada. Debra testified that her sons were taken from their lives forever, while Rhoad’s mother Page and his fiancée Natalie Weirtz joined the hearing via video call.
Baja California is one of Mexico’s most violent states, plagued by organized crime and drug trafficking, though cartel activity rarely targets tourists. Similar attacks have occurred, including the 2015 murders of Australian surfers Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman in Sinaloa. The case has drawn international condemnation from Australia and the United States, highlighting concerns over tourist safety and the need for stronger law‑enforcement measures.
