The Baja California surfers murder case has reached a verdict. On Friday, a judge in the coastal city of Ensenada found three men guilty of killing Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend Carter Redd Rhoad in April 2024. The crime shocked Mexico and drew international attention.

The Verdict

Judge Raúl Hernández ruled that Jesús Gerardo García, known as “El Kekas,” along with Irineo Francisco “N” and Ángel Jesús “N,” were responsible for the three killings. All three were also convicted of armed robbery and armed carjacking. They had been in custody for more than two years.

The final sentence will be announced on October 16. The Baja California State Attorney General’s Office has requested what it calls an exemplary sentence of 210 years in prison for each defendant.

A Family’s Grief

The brothers’ parents, Debra and Martin Robinson, attended court in Ensenada throughout the trial. Debra Robinson told the courtroom that the murders had taken the future the family had imagined with their sons. Martin Robinson said it is hard enough for a parent to lose a son, and they had lost two.

What Happened

The three friends travelled to Baja California in April 2024 to surf. Shortly after reaching Punta San Jose, about 50 miles from Ensenada, they were reported missing. Their bodies were found on May 3 in a well.

García, identified as the perpetrator, was arrested in May 2024, along with his ex-partner Ary Gisell Silva Raya and the two other men.

Details From the Trial

The monthlong trial revealed harrowing details. Silva Raya testified that García told her he arrived at the victims’ tent with a 9 mm pistol. She said the men threw their belongings at him to fend him off, and that one begged for his life, which he ignored.

Prosecutors said Silva Raya reached Punta San Jose on April 27, 2024, met the three foreigners, and pushed one of her companions to rob them, which happened the next day. She was found with one victim’s phone. In November 2025, she was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated robbery with violence and vehicle theft with violence. The three men chose to go to trial.

What to Watch Next

• The sentencing announcement on October 16
• Whether the court grants the 210-year terms prosecutors requested
• Any appeals by the defendants

The Bottom Line

Two years after the killings, the verdict brings a measure of closure for the victims’ families. The sentencing next week will show how far the court is willing to go.