Judge Convicts Three Men in 2024 Mexico Surfer Murders

A Mexican judge in Ensenada, Baja California, found three men guilty on October 9, 2026, of murdering two Australian brothers and their American friend during a surfing trip in April 2024. Judge Raúl Hernández ruled that Jesús Gerardo García (alias "El Kekas"), Irineo Francisco, and Ángel Jesús were responsible for the deaths of Callum Robinson (33), Jake Robinson (30), and Carter Redd Rhoad (30). The defendants, who had been in custody for over two years, were also convicted of armed robbery and armed carjacking. The judge will announce final sentences on October 16, with prosecutors seeking 210 years in prison for each defendant.

The three surfers traveled to Punta San José, approximately 80 kilometers south of Ensenada, in late April 2024. They were reported missing shortly after arrival, and their bodies were discovered on May 3 in a well with gunshot wounds to their heads. During the month-long trial, testimony revealed that García arrived at the victims' tent with a 9mm pistol in what prosecutors described as a botched robbery attempt. According to witnesses, García allegedly targeted vehicle parts from the surfers' truck. The victims threw belongings at him to fend off the attack, and one pleaded for his life, which was ignored.

A fourth suspect, Ary Gisell Silva Raya—García's ex-partner—was sentenced separately in November 2025 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated robbery with violence and vehicle theft with violence. Authorities found one victim's cellphone in her possession, and testimony indicated she arrived at Punta San José on April 27, 2024, and "instigated" the robbery that occurred the following day.

The parents of the Robinson brothers, Martin and Debra Robinson, traveled from Australia to attend the trial, which began on September 7. Debra Robinson told the court the murders had taken "the future we had imagined with them." Martin Robinson stated: "Today's guilty verdict is a significant moment in our long and painful journey to seek justice for our beautiful sons, Callum and Jake, and their friend Carter Rhoad, whose lives were so cruelly taken from them in 2024." The victims' friend Carter Rhoad's wife, Natalie Rob, participated by video link.

The case drew international attention and raised concerns about tourist safety in Baja California, despite the region's reputation as a welcoming destination for surfers. The surfer community in Ensenada held memorial services following the discovery of the bodies. Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila stated the state "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." The state remains one of Mexico's most violent regions, affected by organized crime and drug trafficking, though cartel activity typically does not directly target tourists.