A Mexican judge is expected to deliver his verdict in the high-profile murder trial of three men accused of killing two Australian surfers and their American friend in 2024.
Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33, and their friend Carter Rhoad, 30, were on a surfing trip along Mexico’s Pacific coast when they were shot dead in Baja California state in an alleged robbery, according to prosecutors.
The killings prompted grief and condemnation in Australia and the United States. The prosecution is seeking 150 years in prison for each of the accused.
Prosecutors and the defence were scheduled to present closing arguments from 1pm Thursday (6am AEDT on Friday), after which the judge was expected to announce his ruling. If convicted, all three defendants are to be sentenced on Friday.
Martin and Debra Robinson, the brothers’ parents, will address the court. Both travelled from Australia to the port city of Ensenada for the trial, which began on 8 September.
Rhoad’s mother, Page, and his widow, Natalie Weirtz, will also take part in the hearing via a video call from the United States.
The three men were camping in a remote beachside area when they were allegedly attacked in April 2024. Their bodies were discovered in a clifftop shaft with gunshot wounds to their heads.
Speaking at the start of the trial, Martin Robinson described his sons’ alleged murders as “hell.”
“It’s hard for a parent to lose a son, and we lost two sons,” he said.
Authorities allege the men were killed during an attempt to steal their pickup truck, which was later found burned near their bodies.
Jesus Gerardo is accused of leading the alleged attack. His surname has not been disclosed for legal reasons. His girlfriend was sentenced at a separate trial in November to 20 years in prison after admitting she instigated the robbery.
Baja California is among Mexico’s most violent states, affected by organised crime and drug trafficking, although cartel activity does not usually impact tourists, according to the Guardian. Other foreign visitors have, however, been targeted in criminal attacks on Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Two Australian surfers, Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman, were killed in 2015 while travelling through the north-western state of Sinaloa. Their bodies were later burned.
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