In the brutal murder of surfers, three men found guilty

Jake and Callum Robinson, as well as their friend Carter Road, were surfing on the Pacific coast of Mexico when they were shot in Baja California in a robbery.

The death of this trio has caused a wave of sorrow and condemnation in Australia and the United States.

Jesús Gerardo, known as "El Quecas," was accused of orchestrating the attack. His name was not disclosed for legal reasons. He and two other defendants, Irineo Francisco and Angel Jesus, were found guilty Friday local time.

The judge ruled that the three Mexican defendants acted intentionally.

Martin and Debra Robinson, parents of the brothers, came from Australia to the port city of Ensenada for the trial.

“They took our sons out of our lives forever,” said Debra Robinson, who testified on the final day of the trial. What hurts us most is that they were treated with such cruelty in their final hours.

She burst into tears when the conviction was pronounced.

Speaking outside the courthouse after the verdict, Martin Robinson said: No outcome can change this tragedy, but we hope today will be an important step towards justice and allow us to continue to honor their lives and the outstanding young people they were. They will never be forgotten.”.

Debra Robinson said: I don’t feel any change today that was yesterday and will be tomorrow because Callum and Jake aren’t here. A sentence is good, but it will not bring them back to life.”.

She said she had no feelings for the three guilty men. “I tried to preserve the memory of my children, my sons, and I really try not to think about them. And I don't really want them to be infamous. We don't actually say their names. In fact, they are not part of our grief.”.

Rhode's mother, Paige, and his fiancée Natalie Wirtz also attended the hearing via video link from the United States.

“The defendants are guilty and must be punished so that no other family experiences the same pain,” Wirtz said. After Carter's death, I feel paranoid and isolated.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 16. The prosecution demanded 210 years in prison for each of the defendants, although the maximum sentence in Baja California is 60 years.

In April 2024, surfers camped out in a remote coastal area when they were attacked. Their bodies with gunshot wounds to the head were found in a shaft on top of a cliff.

In November 2025, Ari Gisell Silva, then a friend of the main defendant, was sentenced to two decades in prison after admitting she had instigated the robbery.

Baja California is one of Mexico's most violent states, plagued by organized crime and drug trafficking, although cartel activity usually does not affect tourists. However, other foreign tourists have been the victims of criminal attacks on Mexico's Pacific coast.

Two Australian surfers, Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman, died in 2015 while travelling in the northwestern state of Sinaloa. Their bodies were later burned.