Trial Begins in Mexico Over Murders of Surfer Brothers

Tue Sep 08 2026 07:16:54 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Three suspects stand trial for the 2024 killings of Australian surfers in Baja California, sparking global attention.

A courtroom in Ensenada opens its doors to trial after the bodies of Callum and Jake Robinson and their friend Carter Rhoad were found in a well. Prosecutors seek 200+ year sentences, while witnesses fear intimidation. The case highlights the rare violence tourists face in Mexican surf towns.

Trial Begins in Mexico Over Murders of Surfer Brothers

In Ensenada, a courtroom opens for three men accused of a 2024 murder-car‑jacking that killed Australian surfers Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend, Carter Rhoad. Prosecutors seek sentences of more than 200 years.

The victims’ bodies were found at the bottom of a well, with gunshot wounds to the head, days after disappearing during a Baja California surf trip.

Witnesses will testify over four weeks, though authorities note fear of intimidation from those linked to the defendants. Families urge the accused to see the human cost of their crimes.

Cases rarely hit tourist spots in Mexican surf towns, but this murder sparked shock in the normally peaceful Ensenada community and drew global focus on safety in border states.

Earlier, a former girlfriend of an accused was sentenced to 20 years, marking a crucial evidence link. The trial continues to unfold the complex motivations behind the crime.