A 23-year-old single mother has been sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in a Mexican prison for her involvement in the brutal murders of two Australian brothers and their American friend during a surfing holiday.
A Dream Trip Turns to Tragedy
Callum Robinson, 33, his brother Jake, 30, and their friend Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, were reported missing on April 27 last year while on a surfing trip in Baja California, Mexico. The trio had vanished without a trace, sparking an international search. Their bodies were tragically discovered just days later, on May 3, at the bottom of a well. A fourth body, not connected to the tourists, was also found at the site.
The Courtroom Revelation and Sentencing
Ari Gisell, a former girlfriend of one of the male suspects, was identified by prosecutors as the 'instigator' of the crime. The court heard that Gisell had coveted the tyres on the vehicle the friends were driving and had told her then-boyfriend, Jesús Gerardo, that she wanted them.
Prosecutors stated that after Gisell was dropped at her home, Gerardo, accompanied by Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús, encountered the three tourists. The men then tracked the surfers to their remote campsite, where they robbed them before allegedly shooting them dead.
In a heartbreaking scene, the victims' families addressed the court. Debra Robinson, the mother of Callum and Jake, said, "Our hearts are broken beyond repair. The silence in our home is deafening. There are no words for the emptiness, the weight of their absence."
Natalie Weirtz, the widow of Carter Rhoad, who attended the hearing virtually with his mother, emotionally declared, "Carter was the love of my life. He was my safety in the world. My life is now a nightmare."
Remorse and Legal Proceedings
Gisell was reported to have shed tears as she listened to the victim impact statements. Before pleading guilty, she addressed the court, saying, "I know that nothing I can say will compensate or give you peace. I am focused on being a better person, and I am so sorry for your losses. I assure you that I did not know what would happen that night."
Gisell ultimately pleaded guilty to the charges and received a 14-year sentence for robbery of a vehicle with violence, plus an additional six years for robbery with violence. She was also fined 54,285 Mexican pesos (approximately £2,258).
The three male suspects—Jesús Gerardo, Irineo Francisco, and Ángel Jesús—have all been charged with aggravated homicide. They have yet to enter formal pleas, and a trial date has not been set. A fourth man who was allegedly present has cooperated with authorities and is not believed to have been involved in the murders or robbery. Authorities are still searching for another suspect in the case.
