Pattern emerges in violence targeting international surfers in Mexico
Trial reveals pattern of violent crimes targeting international surfers in Mexican coastal regions.
Event / Security
Baja California Surfer Murders Trial
Trial of three men accused of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and American Jack Carter Rhoad in Baja California in April 2024. The surfers were shot during an attempted vehicle theft while camping. Trial proceedings in Ensenada, Mexico highlight security risks for foreign travelers in the region.
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2026-09-08 to 2026-11-06 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 8 Sept, 09:06 UTC
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What happened
Three men go on trial for murders of two Australian surfers and American in Mexico
Three men went on trial in Ensenada, Mexico on Monday for the April 2024 killings of Australian brothers Jake Robinson (30) and Callum Robinson (33), and American Jack Carter Rhoad (30). The men are accused of shooting the surfers dead during an attempted robbery of their pickup truck.
Jack Carter Rhoad was engaged at time of death
Jack Carter Rhoad, the American surfer killed in Baja California, was engaged to be married. He was killed a few months before his scheduled wedding.
Surfers' bodies discovered after two-week search
The bodies of Jake Robinson, Callum Robinson, and Jack Carter Rhoad were found on May 3, 2024, several days after they were reported missing on April 27, 2024. The three surfers were discovered dumped in a cliff-top shaft in Baja California.
Jake Robinson pursuing medical career at time of death
Jake Robinson, one of the slain surfers, was pursuing a career in medicine and had traveled to the United States to visit his brother. He was scheduled to start work as a doctor upon his return to Australia when he was killed.
Pickup truck of slain surfers found burned near bodies
The pickup truck belonging to the three slain surfers was discovered burned near the location where their bodies were found in Baja California, Mexico. Authorities allege the vehicle was the target of an attempted robbery that led to the murders.
Trial witness describes stepfather's violent threats
A stepson of one of the defendants testified in court that he accompanied the accused to the crime scene. He stated they warned him that the same fate that befell the surfers would happen to him if he disclosed information. He testified with his face concealed from an adjoining room.
Woman sentenced to 20 years for instigating surfers' robbery and murder
Ary Gisell Silva, girlfriend of one of the defendants, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting she instigated the robbery of the three surfers to steal their pickup truck's tires. Silva made initial contact with the tourists and directed her boyfriend and two other men to rob them, noting they had valuable phones and tires.
Callum Robinson was professional lacrosse player
Callum Robinson, one of the slain surfers, was a professional lacrosse player competing in the United States at the time of his death.
Three Australian and American surfers killed in Baja California shooting
Jake Robinson (30), Callum Robinson (33), and Jack Carter Rhoad (30) were shot dead on April 28, 2024 while camping in a remote beachside area in Baja California, Mexico. Their bodies were found dumped in a cliff-top shaft on May 3, 2024, bearing gunshot wounds to their heads.
Two Australian surfers murdered in Sinaloa in 2015
Two Australian surfers, Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman, were murdered in 2015 while traveling through Sinaloa state in northwestern Mexico. Their bodies were later burned.
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2 alternative perspectives
Three surfers had distinct lives beyond the ocean
Three victims had distinct profiles: a professional lacrosse player, a medical student, and an engaged man.
Trial begins for three men charged in surfers' deaths
Three men on trial for killings of two Australian and one American surfer in Mexico.