Three Men Convicted in Brutal 2024 Murders of Surfers in Baja California

A Long Wait for Justice Comes to an End

More than two years after a surfing trip turned into an international tragedy, a Mexican court has delivered a guilty verdict for the men responsible. A Mexican judge found three men guilty of the murders of two Australian brothers and their American friend in April 2024 in the Mexican state of Baja California. For the victims' families — who traveled across the world to witness the proceedings — October 9, 2026 marked a moment they had fought long and hard to reach.

"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," said father Martin Robinson. His words captured the grief of two nations that had watched this case unfold with horror and disbelief.

Who Was Convicted — and What Happened

The trial concluded on October 9 after Judge Raúl Hernández in the coastal city of Ensenada ruled that Jesús Gerardo García, alias "El Kekas," Irineo Francisco "N," and Ángel Jesús "N" were responsible for the murders of Australians Callum and Jake Robinson and American Carter Redd Rhoad. The defendants, who had been in custody for more than two years, were also found guilty of armed robbery and armed carjacking.

The three victims had traveled to Baja California in April 2024 to surf near Punta San José, about 80 kilometers south of Ensenada. They were reported missing shortly after arriving, and their bodies were found on May 3 in a well near the area. Prosecutors believe García tried to steal tires and other parts from the surfers' pickup truck, shot the men when they resisted, and later concealed their bodies in a well.

During the monthlong trial, chilling details of the brutal crime were revealed. A witness said García had bragged about "how beautifully" the victims cried and about items he robbed from them. During testimony, Silva Raya told the court that García had confessed to approaching the surfers' tent with a 9 mm handgun. She said the men threw their belongings at him in an attempt to fend off the attack and that one pleaded for his life.

A Fourth Suspect Already Behind Bars

García, identified as the perpetrator of the murders, was arrested in May 2024 in connection to the case, along with his ex-partner Ary Gisell Silva Raya, Irineo Francisco "N," and Ángel Jesús "N." Silva Raya's case was resolved separately and swiftly. She was sentenced in November 2025 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to "aggravated robbery with violence" and "vehicle theft with violence" in an expedited proceeding. According to evidence gathered by prosecutors, she allegedly told her accomplices that the surfers had "good phones and good tires" on their truck before the attack.

The Robinson parents traveled from Australia to attend the trial, which began September 7. Their presence in the courtroom — session after session, through harrowing testimony — became a powerful symbol of a family's determination to see justice served. "No outcome can ever undo this tragedy, but we hope today marks an important step towards justice and allows us to continue honoring their lives and the extraordinary young men they were," Martin Robinson said. "They will never be forgotten."

Sentencing Ahead, Questions Linger

The judge will announce the final sentence on October 16. The three men face convictions for aggravated homicide, armed robbery, and carjacking, meaning significant prison terms are expected. Baja California is one of Mexico's most violent states, plagued by organised crime and drug trafficking, although cartel activity does not usually affect tourists. Reports have linked some of the accused to the Sinaloa Cartel, with court documents suggesting that two of the convicted men have ties to organized crime.

The case resonated far beyond the courtroom. The victims — Callum Robinson had played in the US Premier Lacrosse League, while his brother Jake was a doctor in Perth — were vibrant young men whose deaths sparked an outpouring of grief in both Australia and the United States. With the guilty verdict now in hand, the Robinson family and the Rhoads can begin the next chapter of their grief — one shaped, at least in part, by accountability. The sentencing on October 16 will determine just how heavy a price these three men ultimately pay.