Three suspects went on trial Monday in Ensenada over the April 2024 killings of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad. Authorities say the men were attacked while camping and later found dumped in a cliff-top shaft with fatal gunshot wounds to the head. Prosecutors allege the attack occurred during an attempt to steal the victims' pickup truck, which was later found burned; a woman linked to the accused has already pleaded guilty and received a 20-year sentence. The case sparked widespread outrage in Australia and the U.S., and the victims' families attended the opening of the trial seeking answers.
Trial Opens in 2024 Killings of Two Australian Brothers and American Surfer in Baja California
Debra and Martin Robinson, parents of Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson, murdered in Mexico in April 2024 during a surfing trip, arrive at the court for the murder trial (Guillermo Arias)
Three men went on trial Monday accused of killing two Australian brothers and their American friend while the trio camped at a popular surfing area on Mexico's Pacific coast in April 2024.
The victims were brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33, and their 30-year-old friend Jack Carter Rhoad. According to investigators, the men were camping in a remote beachside area in Baja California when they were attacked. Their bodies were discovered days later, dumped in a cliff-top shaft and bearing gunshot wounds to the head.
Authorities say the suspects attacked the surfers during an attempt to steal their pickup truck; the vehicle was later found burned near the scene. Prosecutors say theft of vehicle parts — in particular the tires — was the motive.
Last year, Ary Gisell Silva, the girlfriend of one of the accused, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting she had urged her partner and two others to carry out the robbery. Silva told a court she targeted the surfers because they had "good phones and good tires," prosecutors said.
The killings provoked deep sorrow and anger in Australia and the United States. Friends and relatives used social media to coordinate a major search while the men were missing. Callum Robinson had played professional lacrosse in the U.S.; Jake Robinson was pursuing a medical career. Rhoad had been due to marry in a few months.
Family Seeks Answers
The Robinsons' parents traveled to the port city of Ensenada for the start of the proceedings. "It's about representing our sons, being here for them. I know they want us to be here," Martin Robinson told reporters as he entered the courtroom with his wife, Debra. "We want to find out what happened. We want to find out why," he added.
Context And Past Incidents
Baja California is among Mexico's most violent states, affected by organized crime and drug trafficking; authorities say cartel violence does not commonly target tourists, but isolated attacks on foreign visitors have occurred on the Pacific coast. In a separate high-profile case, two Australian surfers were killed in Sinaloa in 2015 and their bodies were later burned.
The trial will determine the responsibility of the three men charged in the April 2024 deaths as the families seek justice and answers about what happened during the camping trip. Court proceedings are ongoing.
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