Three Mexican Men Receive Lengthy Sentences for 2024 Killings of Australian Brothers and Their American Friend

ENSENADA, Mexico — A judge sentenced three Mexican men to more than 158 years in prison each for the 2024 murders of two Australian brothers and their American friend, a case that highlighted safety concerns for tourists in Mexico.

The sentencing, which followed a guilty verdict a week earlier, concluded a lengthy legal process over the deaths of Callum and Jake Robinson and Carter Redd Rhoad. Their bodies were discovered in May 2024 after being found in a deep well, and at least four individuals were apprehended for their roles in the crime.

In the coastal city of Ensenada, Baja California, Judge assigned sentences of 158 years and nine months to Jesús Gerardo García (alias “el Kekas”), Irineo Francisco “N,” and Ángel Jesús “N” for murder, robbery with violence, and vehicle theft with violence.

Antonio Otañez, president of the Baja California surfers’ association, welcomed the verdict, stating that justice had been served. He noted, however, that the incident caused a significant decline in tourist arrivals, especially among surfers, to the region renowned for its beaches.

Here is a look at the key facts and events in the case:

The Robinson brothers, Callum and Jake, along with their American friend Carter Redd Rhoad, traveled to Mexico in late April 2024 to surf at Punta San José, a beach about 80 kilometers from Ensenada.

On the night of April 27, 2024, the three friends camped on the beach, unaware of the dangers they faced.

Early that morning, armed attackers confronted them, shot them dead, and disposed of the bodies in a well over 15 meters deep. The victims were recovered on May 3 after an extensive search.

On May 5, 2024, Baja California prosecutors arrested Jesús Gerardo García, identified as the gunman, and named him “el Kekas.”

García has a criminal record in Ensenada that includes drug dealing, illegal entry, domestic violence, and vehicle theft, according to state authorities.

García’s former partner, Ary Gisell Silva Raya, and two alleged accomplices, Irineo Francisco “N” and Ángel Jesús “N,” were also taken into custody.

Silva Raya, found with a victim’s cell phone, opted for an abbreviated trial and was sentenced in November to 20 years for aggravated robbery with violence and vehicle theft with violence.

State prosecutor María Elena Andrade said the attackers intended to steal tires from the victims’ pickup truck, prompting resistance from the group.

“When the victims resisted, the assailants pulled a gun and killed the first person who resisted, then turned on the other two,” Andrade explained.

Sánchez reported from Mexico City

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