Mexican court sentences killers of Australian, US surfers to 158 years

A Mexican judge sentenced three men to more than 158 years in prison on Friday for the 2024 murders of two Australian surfers and their American friend. According to Malay Mail, IOL, and DW News, the defendants—identified as Jesus Gerardo, Irineo Francisco, and Angel Jesus—were sentenced to 158 years and nine months each. The three men were convicted of homicide, aggravated robbery, robbery with violence, and vehicle theft with violence. Malay Mail reports that Judge Raul Hernandez ruled the defendants acted with premeditation.

The victims, brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33, and their friend Carter Rhoad, 30, were killed during an attempted robbery while camping in a remote beachside area near Ensenada in Baja California. They were attacked on April 27, 2024, and their bodies were later discovered in a cliff-top well with gunshot wounds to their heads.

DW News states the court ordered the defendants to pay compensation to the victims' families. However, Malay Mail and IOL report that while prosecutors requested damages exceeding $100,000, the judge ruled that any compensation must be pursued through civil proceedings. Following the verdict, Page Rhoad, the mother of Carter Rhoad, expressed that while there can never be justice for the loss of a child, the men will not hurt anyone else again.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, DW News, DW English (Top Stories), Malay Mail, IOL — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.