Three men have been put on trial in Ensenada, Mexico for the alleged murders of two Australian brothers and an American friend in 2024. The bodies of Callum Robinson, his younger brother Jake, and their friend Carter Rhoad from California, all in their early 30s, were found at the bottom of a well with gunshot wounds to their heads after they went missing during a surf trip in Baja California.
Prosecutors are seeking jail sentences of more than 200 years for each defendant, who also face charges of violent robbery and auto theft. The parents of the brothers, Martin and Debra Robinson, were in court on Tuesday, saying it was “incredibly important and overwhelmingly difficult”. They stated, “Callum and Jake were not simply victims in a case file – they were our sons, deeply loved by our family and friends, with lives, dreams and futures that were brutally taken away.”
On the opening day, the accused – Jesús "El Kekas" Gerardo, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús – were moved to a smaller courtroom amid accusations that some witnesses had been intimidated by people associated with the defendants. Dozens of witnesses are expected to give evidence during the four‑week, judge‑only trial.
The alleged killings shocked Australians and residents of the normally peaceful town of Ensenada, even as high levels of cartel violence in the northern Mexican border states typically deter tourists in the region. The ex‑girlfriend of one of the accused, Ari Gisell, was the first person convicted over the tourists’ killings last year and was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role.
Prosecutors say the victims were killed due to a bungled robbery, while the defence argued there was not enough evidence to prove that theory. Callum Robinson was a member of Australia’s national lacrosse team, living in San Diego as a professional lacrosse player. His younger brother Jake had travelled from Australia for the surf trip and was due to start a job as a doctor upon his return, while their friend Rhoad was killed a few months before his wedding.
