Three men get 158 years each for murdering American and Australian surfers, dumping bodies in Mexican well
A Mexican judge has sentenced three men to over 158 years in prison each for the 2024 murders of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and American tourist Carter Rhoad. The victims were killed during a camping and surfing trip in Baja California near Ensenada. Investigators found the tourists were targeted in a botched robbery involving their pickup truck, after which the killers dumped the bodies into a well. Most sources report the prison term as 158 years, though one publication cites 159 years.
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- ✓ Three men were sentenced to 158 years each for murdering two Australian brothers and an American surfer in Mexico.
- ✓ The victims were identified as brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their friend Carter Rhoad.
- ✓ The murders occurred during a surfing trip in Baja California, Mexico, in 2024.
- ✓ The killings stemmed from an apparent botched robbery targeting the victims' vehicle.
What changed
A Mexican court handed down prison sentences exceeding 158 years to each of the three convicted killers.
Live updates
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Three Men Sentenced to 158 Years Each for Surfers' Murders
A Mexican judge has sentenced three men to over 158 years in prison each for the 2024 murders of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and American tourist Carter Rhoad. The victims were killed during a camping and surfing trip in Baja California near Ensenada. Investigators found the tourists were targeted in a botched robbery involving their pickup truck, after which the killers dumped the bodies into a well. Most sources report the prison term as 158 years, though one publication cites 159 years.
Why it matters
The killings of the foreign tourists drew intense international attention and rattled travelers visiting Baja California's popular coastal regions. Authorities launched a major search after the men vanished in late April 2024, eventually locating the remains in a remote well shaft. The resolution of the criminal trial brings formal legal closure to a case that exposed security risks faced by visitors in the area.
What is confirmed
- Three men were sentenced to 158 years each for murdering two Australian brothers and an American surfer in Mexico.
- The victims were identified as brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their friend Carter Rhoad.
- The murders occurred during a surfing trip in Baja California, Mexico, in 2024.
- The killings stemmed from an apparent botched robbery targeting the victims' vehicle.
- The bodies of the surfers were dumped in a well.
- The convicted defendants are Jesus Gerardo, Irineo Francisco and Angel Jesu.
Still unconfirmed
- One news report stated the prison sentence was 159 years instead of 158 years.
What to watch next
- Any potential appeals filed by the defense lawyers representing the convicted men
- Statements from the families of the victims regarding the conclusion of the trial
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (12)
- BBC — Three men jailed for 158 years each for murdering Australian and US surfers in Mexico
- Reuters — Three sentenced to 158 years in Mexico for murder of Australian, US surfers
- www.bbc.com — Three men jailed for 158 years each for murdering Australian ...
- CBS News — Mexican killers of U.S., Australian surfers sentenced to 158 years in prison
- ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos — 3 men sentenced to more than 158 years for the killings of Australian, US surfers in Mexico
- Fox News — Three men get 158 years each for murdering American and Australian surfers, dumping bodies in Mexican well
- The New York Times — Mexican Judge Sentences 3 Men to 159 Years Each in Surfer Killings
- www.cbsnews.com — Mexican killers of U.S., Australian surfers sentenced to 158 years in prison
- www.straitstimes.com — Mexico surfers murder: three jailed for 158 years | The ...
- www.yahoo.com — Three men get 158 years each for murdering American and ...
- www.yahoo.com — 3 men sentenced to 158 years in Mexico for murders of ... - Yahoo
- www.independent.co.uk — Trio jailed for 158 years each for murdering Australian and ...
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