Mexican Court Hands Down 158-Year Sentences For Brutal Murders Of American And Australian Surfers

Clear Facts

• Three Mexican men received 158-year prison sentences for the murders of Australian surfers Callum and Jake Robinson and American Carter Rhoad.
• The killings occurred during a robbery targeting the victims’ truck tires near Ensenada, Baja California in April 2024.
• The victims’ bodies were discovered in a well in May 2024 after a surfing trip to Punta San José.

Three men in Mexico were sentenced Friday to 158 years and nine months each for the murders of two Australian brothers and their American friend. The federal court in Ensenada, Baja California delivered the harsh penalties for murder, armed robbery, and violent vehicle theft.

Jesús Gerardo García, Irineo Francisco, and Ángel Jesús received identical sentences. An accomplice, Ary Gisell Silva Raya, had already accepted a 20-year term for related charges in November.

The court determined the men killed Callum Robinson, Jake Robinson, and Carter Rhoad to steal tires from their truck. Baja California prosecutor María Elena Andrade described the sequence of events.

“The attackers pull out a gun they were carrying and kill the person who initially resisted the robbery, then on the other two,” Andrade stated.

The three victims had traveled to Punta San José, roughly 50 miles from Ensenada, for a surfing vacation in April 2024. Their bodies were recovered from a well in Baja California the following month.

The Robinson parents attended the sentencing and described the ruling as an important step toward justice. Father Matin Robinson addressed reporters outside the courthouse.

“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,” Robinson said.

Local tourism officials reported a sharp decline in visitors after the murders became public. Antonio Otañez, president of the Baja California surfers association, acknowledged the economic damage while welcoming the convictions.

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