A court in Baja California, Mexico, has sentenced three men to 158 years and 9 months in prison each for the brutal 2024 murders of two Australian brothers and their American friend during a surfing trip.
Judicial officials confirmed on Friday (October 16, 2026) that the convicts—identified as Jesus Gerardo "N" (known as "El Kekas"), Irineo Francisco "N", and Angel Jesus "N"—were handed the maximum penalties after being convicted of homicide, aggravated robbery, and violent carjacking. The victims—Australian brothers Jake Robinson (33) and Callum Robinson (30), along with American citizen Jack Carter Rhoad (30)—disappeared in late April 2024 while camping and surfing near Punta San Jose, south of Ensenada.
Following a multi-day joint search operation involving Mexican authorities and the FBI, their bodies were recovered on May 3, 2024, from the bottom of a 50-foot well, each suffering fatal gunshot wounds to the head. Their burnt pickup truck was found nearby. A 23-year-old female accomplice, Giselle Silva, had previously been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to robbery charges. Reacting via Zoom following the sentencing, Paige Rhoad, mother of the slain American tourist, stated that no sentence could undo the loss of her son, but welcomed the certainty that the perpetrators would never harm anyone again. The high-profile killings have prompted the US State Department to issue heightened travel advisories for Baja California due to rampant cartel violence and kidnapping risks.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by International Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
