Prosecution seeks 150-year sentence for each defendant if convicted
A Mexican judge was scheduled to deliver a verdict Thursday in the murder trial of three men accused of killing two Australian surfer brothers and their American friend during a 2024 trip to Mexico’s Pacific coast, The Guardian reported.
The prosecution is seeking 150 years in prison for each of the three defendants, with sentencing set for Friday in the event of conviction. The prosecution and defence were expected to present their closing arguments from 6am AEDT, after which the judge was expected to announce his verdict.
The trial opened on 8 September in the port city of Ensenada, in Baja California state. The defendants are accused of fatally shooting Australian brothers Jake Robinson, 30, and Callum Robinson, 33, and their American friend Carter Rhoad, 30, in an alleged robbery.
The three surfers had been camping in a remote beachside area when they were allegedly attacked in April 2024. Their bodies were later recovered from a clifftop shaft, with gunshot wounds to their heads. The killings prompted an outpouring of grief and condemnation in Australia and the United States.
The victims’ families were scheduled to address the court before the ruling. Martin and Debra Robinson, the brothers’ parents, traveled from Australia to attend the hearing in Ensenada. Carter Rhoad’s mother, Page, and his widow, Natalie Weirtz, were set to participate via video call from the United States.
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.