Three men accused of murdering two Australian brothers and their American friend during a trip to Mexico have gone on trial in Ensenada, Baja California. The victims—Jack and Callum Robinson from Perth, Australia, and Jack Carter Rhoad from the United States—were killed in what prosecutors describe as a botched robbery and car theft attempt in April 2024. Their bodies were discovered in a well on 3 May 2024, with gunshot wounds to their heads. The men had been on a surfing trip along Mexico’s Pacific coast and were camping in a remote area when they were attacked. Their bodies were later found in a cliff-top shaft. The parents of the Australian brothers, Debra and Martin Robinson, traveled to Ensenada to attend the trial, which is expected to last 20 days. On the first day of the proceedings, the three accused—Jesús “El Kekas” Gerardo, Irineo Francisco, and Ángel Jesús—were moved to a smaller courtroom after prosecutors alleged that people associated with the defendants had intimidated two witnesses. Three witnesses testified on the first day, including the stepson of one of the accused. The stepson, whose face was hidden, described his stepfather as violent and said he had been present at the crime scene. He claimed he heard a “commotion,” ran away, and later returned after the accused threatened him, warning that the same fate that befell the victims would happen to him if he spoke out. Ary Gisell Silva, the girlfriend of the stepson’s stepfather, had previously admitted to instigating the robbery to steal the victims’ truck tires. She had been the first to approach the surfers and noticed they had valuable items, including good phones and tires. She had urged her boyfriend and his accomplices to rob the surfers. Silva was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2025 after being convicted of crimes related to the robbery. The Robinsons told the media that attending the trial was “incredibly important and overwhelmingly difficult.” They said they wanted the accused to see the human impact of their actions, emphasizing that their sons were not just case files but real people with lives and dreams. Callum Robinson was a member of Australia’s national lacrosse team and lived in San Diego, where he played professionally. His younger brother, Jack, was set to begin work as a doctor after returning from Australia for the trip. Rhoad, from California, was killed just months before he was due to get married. The case drew significant attention in both Australia and the United States, with families and friends rallying media support for the search for the victims’ bodies. Prosecutors are seeking over 200 years in prison for the accused, who have argued that the evidence does not sufficiently prove the robbery theory.