A Mexican judge will decide Friday whether three men executed two Australian surfers and their American friend on a Baja California beach after prosecutors detailed what they called “senseless violence” driven by anti-foreigner hatred.
Jesús Gerardo, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús face up to 168 years in prison for the April 2024 killings of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and American Carter Rhoad at Punta San José, a scenic campsite overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Prosecutors: Attackers Targeted Americans With Slur
“They said they wanted to ‘fuck up the gringos,'” prosecutors told the court Thursday in closing arguments. “With senseless violence, they took them out of their tent and shot one of them who said he was married. They showed no humanity towards their victims.”
The victims’ bodies were discovered in a makeshift well at the remote beach campsite. Prosecutors identified Jesús Gerardo as the ringleader and say he faces an even longer sentence than his co-defendants.
The three men are charged with aggravated homicide, aggravated robbery, violent robbery and grand theft auto.
Parents Attend Final Court Session
Debra and Martin Robinson, parents of the two Australian brothers, attended Thursday’s proceedings in Ensenada, two hours from where their sons were killed. They have traveled from Australia multiple times during the two-year legal process.
Judge Raúl Hernández Arellan will deliver his verdict Friday and has ten days after that to complete the full ruling. The trial has drawn international attention to safety concerns along Baja California’s popular surf beaches, where thousands of American and Australian tourists visit annually.
Mexican authorities have faced pressure from both countries to secure convictions in a case that prosecutors say involved deliberate targeting of foreigners for robbery and murder.
Key Points
- Judge delivers verdict Friday in 2024 killings of three surfers at Baja California beach
- Prosecutors say attackers used anti-foreigner slurs before dragging victims from tent and shooting them
- Defendants face up to 168 years on aggravated homicide, robbery and car theft charges
https://www.courthousenews.com/attorneys-make-closing-arguments-in-baja-beach-homicide-trial/ – October 09, 2026
