Central Plains FFA Chapter

10/09 17:01 CDT Judge convicts 3 Mexicans in the killings of 2 Australian brothers and American friend on surf trip Judge convicts 3 Mexicans in the killings of 2 Australian brothers and American friend on surf trip ENSENADA, Mexico (AP) --- A local judge on Friday found three Mexicans guilty of the murders of two Australian brothers and their American friend in April 2024 in the Mexican state of Baja California. The trial for the triple homicide that shocked Mexico and drew international attention concluded Friday after Judge Ral Hernndez in the coastal city of Ensenada ruled that Jess Gerardo Garca, alias "El Kekas," Irineo Francisco "N," and Angel Jess "N" were responsible for the murders of Australians Callum and Jake Robinson and American Jack Carter Rhoad. The defendants, who had been in custody for more than two years, were also found guilty of armed robbery and armed carjacking. The three traveled to Baja California in April 2024 to surf, but shortly after arriving in the town of Punta San Jose, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Ensenada, they were reported missing. Their bodies were found on May 3 in a well. Garca, identified as the perpetrator of the murders, was arrested in May 2024 in connection to the case, along with his ex-partner Ary Gisell Silva Raya, Irineo Francisco "N," and Angel Jess "N." During the month-long trial, chilling details of the brutal crime were revealed. Silva Raya testified last month during a hearing that Garca confessed to her that he arrived at the tent where the foreigners were staying with a 9mm pistol. Upon seeing him, they began throwing their belongings to prevent him from attacking them, and one of them begged for his life, which the assailant ignored, she said. The state prosecutor's office reported that Silva Raya arrived in Punta San Jose on April 27, 2024, where she met the three foreigners and "instigated one of her companions to rob them," which was carried out the following day. The woman, who was found in possession of one of the victims' cell phones, was sentenced in November 2025 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to "aggravated robbery with violence" and "vehicle theft with violence" in an expedited proceeding. However, Garca and his two accomplices decided to go to trial. The judge will announce the final sentence in the coming days. The Baja California State Attorney General's Office requested the maximum sentence of 200 years in prison for the defendants. ___ Follow AP's Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america