ENSENADA — The trial of three men accused of killing Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and American Jack Carter Rhoad began on Monday, September 7, 2026, in Ensenada, Mexico. Jake Robinson, 30, Callum Robinson, 33, and Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, were shot dead in Baja California state in April 2024.

Debra and Martin Robinson, parents of Jake and Callum Robinson, attended the trial proceedings in Ensenada. Martin Robinson told reporters, "It's about representing our sons, being here for them. I know they want us to be here." He added that the family sought clarity regarding the events.

"We want to find out what happened. We want to find out why," Martin Robinson said.

The surfers were reported missing on April 27, 2024. The victims' bodies were found dumped in a cliff-top shaft on May 3, 2024. The victims bore gunshot wounds to their heads. The victims' pickup truck was found burned near their bodies.

Three witnesses appeared in court on Monday, September 7, 2026. The stepson of one of the defendants testified from an adjoining room with his face concealed. The witness described his stepfather as violent. The witness stated he accompanied the accused to the crime scene and waited nearby when the commotion began.

The witness said, "I heard a lot of noise," and explained that he had run away but rejoined the group after they called him. The witness stated the accused warned him that "the same thing that happened to the gringos would happen to him" if he said anything.

Ary Gisell Silva was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2025 after admitting she instigated the robbery to steal the pickup's tires. Prosecution evidence stated that Ary Gisell Silva was the first to make contact with the tourists and noticed they had valuables. Ary Gisell Silva told a court she urged her boyfriend and two other men to rob the surfers, noting they had "good phones and good tires."

Callum Robinson played professional lacrosse in the U.S. Jake Robinson was pursuing a career in medicine and was about to start a job as a doctor upon his return to Australia. Jack Carter Rhoad was killed a few months before he was set to marry.

Why It Matters

The case involves the deaths of three international tourists in a region that has seen similar violence against foreign visitors. Two Australian surfers, Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman, were murdered in 2015 while traveling through the state of Sinaloa, Mexico. The current trial addresses allegations that the killings were motivated by theft of vehicles and personal items.

The proceedings bring together testimony from family members seeking answers and witnesses describing the events leading to the shootings. The conviction of Ary Gisell Silva in 2025 established a judicial finding that the robbery was premeditated to acquire specific assets. The trial of the three male defendants determines their individual roles in the fatal attack.

Timeline

The victims were camping in a remote beachside area in Ensenada when they were attacked. The prosecution stated that the assailants intentionally surprised the surfers and shot them with firearms on Sunday, April 28, 2024. Authorities stated the murders occurred during an attempt to steal the victims' pickup truck.

What's New

Callum Robinson was diabetic, as disclosed by his mother, Debra Robinson, in a Facebook appeal for help locating her missing sons in April 2024. Jake Robinson had previously worked at regional hospitals in Australia before his trip to Mexico, as reported ahead of his murder. Jake Robinson documented his travels, including a two-month visit to Indonesia in 2023, on Instagram, as noted in a BBC profile of the victims.

Jack Carter Rhoad founded a clothing company called Loma Apparel in 2012 and played professional football in Guatemala's top-tier league from 2014-2015, according to a BBC obituary. Ensenada is municipality in the State of Baja California, Mexico.