In court, it was revealed that a man accused of the disappearance of three tourists during a surfing trip in Mexico admitted to killing them. The tourists, Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, along with their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad, vanished near Ensenada on April 27th.
The suspect, known as “El Kekas,” appeared in court on Wednesday facing kidnapping charges, with murder charges expected to follow soon. He has not yet entered a plea.
Officials in Baja California state stated that the three tourists, all in their early 30s, likely died while trying to prevent thieves from stealing the tires of their pickup truck. Their bodies were discovered six days later in a cliffside well, each with a gunshot wound to the head. Another body, unrelated to the case, was also found in the well.
The suspect, identified only by his first names Jesús Gerardo due to Mexican law, has been charged with “forced disappearance.” His girlfriend Ari Gisel and another man are detained as suspected accomplices, though their last names are withheld by the courts.
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During the court session, prosecutors revealed that Ari, although not charged, is a witness. They alleged that she told investigators Jesús confessed to her on April 28th, saying he had done something to “three gringos.” He showed her new tires allegedly stolen from the victims’ vehicle.
Prosecutors believe others were involved in the killings. The parents of Jake and Callum Robinson traveled from Perth to Mexico to identify their sons’ bodies earlier this week. Debra Robinson emotionally expressed the family’s desire to bring their sons home and honor them
Ensenada, despite being in one of Mexico’s most violent states due to drug-related conflicts, is considered relatively safe and has been a tourist destination, particularly for surfers from California. Following the incident, protests demanding safer beaches erupted in the city, with surfers holding ceremonies to honor the victims.
