Mexican men sentenced to 158 years in prison for murdering Australian brothers

Ensenada, Mexico: The three Mexican men convicted of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad have each been sentenced to 158 years in prison.

A court in Ensenada announced the sentence on Friday (Mexico time), one week after the three men – Jesús Gerardo (also known as “El Kekas”), Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús – were found guilty.

The men’s full names were not identified by the court for legal reasons.

A translated statement from the attorney-general’s office said the men were each sentenced to 158 years and nine months in prison; 135 years for aggravated homicide; 10 years and 9 months for aggravated robbery involving violence; and 13 years for the violent theft of a vehicle.

The sentencing, which came a week after the men were found guilty, marked the end of a lengthy legal process over the killings.

The Robinson brothers’ parents attended every day of the trial and were present last week when the men were found guilty.

Debra and Martin Robinson held hands as judge Raúl Hernández Arellano read out his verdict as it was translated by an aide. There was no jury.

“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,” Martin Robinson said outside the court.

“While no verdict can ever bring back our boys, or ease the heartbreak of losing them, we hope this outcome represents an important step towards justice and accountability.

“Callum and Jake had their whole lives ahead of them, filled with dreams, love and promise. We will forever carry their memory in our hearts … They will never be forgotten.”

The Robinson brothers and Rhoad disappeared in late April 2024 while they were camping in a remote surfing spot in beachside Baja California.

They had decided to travel to Mexico to pursue one of their passions, surfing, at a beach in Punta San José, about 80 kilometres from the city of Ensenada in Baja California state.

Unaware of the risks they faced, the three friends decided to camp on the beach on the night of April 27, 2024.

Their attackers confronted them there, shot them dead in the early morning hours and then dumped their bodies into a well more than 15 metres deep. The bodies were found on May 3 after several days of searching.

The prosecution successfully argued that the three tourists were victims of a robbery that went awry.

State prosecutor María Elena Andrade alleged that the attackers wanted to steal the tires from the foreigners’ pickup truck and that the victims resisted.

“The attackers pull out a gun they were carrying and kill the person who initially resisted the robbery, then turn on the other two,” she added.

The court heard the victims begged for mercy before they were murdered, and that the killers later mocked their pleas. Gerardo’s then-girlfriend, Ari Gisell, is already serving a 20-year sentence for instigating the robbery that led to the murders. She gave evidence that Gerardo had confessed to the crime. “I f—ed up three gringos,” he told her.

Jake, 31, was a doctor who was due to start a job at a hospital in Geelong when he returned to Australia. Callum, 32, was a talented sportsman who had played lacrosse professionally in the US. He was living in San Diego.

The case tarnished Mexico’s image by exposing the risks foreigners face when visiting the tourism-dependent country. Antonio Otañez, president of the Baja California surfers’ association, welcomed the outcome, saying “justice has been served”. But he acknowledged that the killings had caused a “major drop” in tourist visits, particularly by surfers, to the region known for its beautiful beaches.

With AP

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