3 Men Get 158 Years Each for Killing Surfing Friends

A Surf Trip Ends in Three Long Prison Sentences

Two brothers and their American friend never returned from a surfing trip in Baja California. The three men convicted of killing them have each been sentenced to 158 years and nine months in prison by a Mexican judge.

The sentences were handed down in Ensenada on October 16, after a judge-only trial. Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their friend Carter Rhoad were killed during the April 2024 trip, which prosecutors said ended in a robbery and three homicides.

Jake was a doctor preparing to start a hospital job in Australia. Callum had moved to the United States to play lacrosse, and the brothers shared a love of surfing that brought them together for the trip south from California.

Rhoad’s mother told the trial he had married in December 2023 and was looking forward to a public ceremony with his wife. His wife and the men’s friends became part of the effort to find the group when messages went unanswered.

Unanswered Messages Led Friends to the Campsite

A friend who had joined the trip returned to San Diego early for work. He testified that he became concerned after texting Callum and Carter on April 28 without receiving replies.

He contacted the accommodation where the men were expected to stay. When the hosts said they had not heard from them, he spoke with Rhoad’s wife about making a missing-person report.

According to his testimony, Rhoad’s wife was able to identify the last location associated with Carter’s phone. A group of eight friends then crossed into Mexico to look for the missing men.

They eventually went to the coastal area where the group had planned to camp. The witness said he recognized a mug belonging to Callum, along with other personal items, at the damaged campsite.

The bodies of the three men were later recovered from a well on a remote property. Their parents traveled to the region as Mexican authorities worked to identify the remains and establish what had happened.

Families Attended the Trial in Ensenada

Debra and Martin Robinson traveled from Western Australia for the proceedings. Before leaving, they explained that they wanted to hear the evidence and represent the relatives and friends who loved their sons.

During the trial, Debra Robinson told the court that Callum and Jake were the couple’s only children. She asked for the maximum available prison terms and said accountability mattered even though a sentence could not restore their lives.

Martin Robinson also described receiving the first call telling him his sons were missing. He and his wife subsequently traveled from Perth and took part in identifying them.

Page Rhoad, Carter’s mother, participated by video link from the United States. She described the search effort and her own travel to Mexico after learning that bodies had been found.

The defense challenged the sufficiency of the evidence and the credibility of parts of the investigation. The three defendants had previously rejected proposed plea agreements, according to ABC’s trial reporting.

The Defense Plans an Appeal

The men are identified in the reporting as Jesus Gerardo, Irineo Francisco and Angel Jesus. Their complete names have been withheld for legal reasons, and they were convicted the week before the sentencing hearing.

Judge Raul Hernandez Arellano imposed the identical prison terms after finding the three men guilty of aggravated homicide and related offenses. In explaining the sentence, he cited the fact that the tourists were unarmed and had been attacked at a remote location.

The Robinsons had returned to Australia by the sentencing and watched by video link. In a statement afterward, they said they were satisfied with the outcome while emphasizing that the loss of their sons remained.

Rhoad’s mother thanked the judge during the hearing. The defense indicated it would challenge the sentences and had 10 days to lodge its appeal, according to ABC’s October 17 report.

References: Killers each sentenced to 158 years’ jail over murders of Jake and Callum Robinson in Mexico | Friends launched search party for missing Australians, court hears | Jake and Callum Robinson’s mother calls for maximum sentences at Mexico trial | Parents of Australian brothers killed in Mexico to attend trial

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