Mexicoupdated 1h ago2 min read
Mexican Judge Convicts Jesús Gerardo Garcia “El Kekas” Of Killing Australian Brothers, American Friend
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Three Mexicans convicted for killing Jake and Callum Robinson and Carter Rhoad in Baja California. Defendants named Jesús Gerardo García (El Kekas), Irineo Francisco, and Ángel Jesús.
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Guilty verdict in Ensenada
A Mexican judge on Friday found three Mexicans guilty of the 2024 murders of two Australian brothers and their American friend during a surf trip to Baja California, with the Ensenada courthouse serving as the scene of the verdict. The judge ruled that the suspects acted with premeditation, and the judge must pronounce the sentences next week. The court found Jesús Gerardo Garcia, known as "El Kekas," and co-defendants Irineo Francisco "N" and Angel Jesus "N" guilty of aggravated homicide, violent robbery and vehicle theft.
The victims were Callum Robinson, 33, Jake Robinson, 30, and Carter Rhoad, 30, who were killed in April 2024 while they were camping on a secluded beach in Ensenada, Baja California. The prosecution sought sentences of up to 150 years, and the sentence will be announced on October 16.
Parents and courtroom testimony
Debra Robinson testified on Thursday that "What hurts the most is that in their final moments they were treated with such cruelty," as she shed tears at the verdict’s announcement on Friday.
Martin Robinson said, as he read a statement on behalf of his family, "The guilty verdict pronounced today represents a significant moment in our long and painful journey to obtain justice for our beloved children," after the guilty finding.
The court heard that the killings happened near Punta San Jose, about 80 km (50 miles) south of Ensenada, after the tourists were reported missing in late April 2024.
Authorities said the victims were each found with gunshot wounds in the head, and prosecutors said the accused attempted to carjack the tourists and shot them when they tried to resist.
The judge will announce the final sentence on Oct. 16, after the defendants were found guilty of armed robbery and armed carjacking.
Sentencing fight and wider risk
The Baja California State Attorney General’s Office requested an "exemplary sentence" of 210 years in prison for each defendant, while the maximum sentence in Baja California is described as 60 years in the reporting. The prosecution requested 210 years in prison for each of them, and the judge must pronounce the sentences next week, setting up a clash between the requested term and the state maximum. The girlfriend of the main defendant, Ary Gisell Silva Raya, was sentenced in November 2025 to 20 years in prison after admitting to being the instigator of the theft aimed at stealing the tires of a van.
“State prosecutor María Elena Andrade said: ‘I would like to inform you that the State Attorney General's Office is seeking an exemplary sentence of 210 years for each of these individuals.’”
The court also heard testimony that García confessed to his ex-partner that he arrived at the tent where the foreigners were staying with a 9mm pistol. The case unfolded in a region described as plagued by organized crime and drug trafficking, with the reporting noting that cartel activities there rarely affect tourists.