Father of slain Australian surfers testifies in Mexico homicide trial

Key facts

• The father of two Australian brothers, Jake and Callum Robinson, testified in a Mexican homicide trial.
• The brothers and their American friend, Jack Carter Rhoad, were killed in April 2024.
• Authorities allege the victims were killed during an attempted robbery to steal their pickup truck.
• The victims' bodies were discovered with gunshot wounds to the head.
• Martin Robinson described the emotional difficulty of identifying his sons' bodies.

The father of two Australian brothers, Jake and Callum Robinson, testified in a Mexican court Tuesday, describing the profound grief and difficulty of identifying his sons' bodies after they were killed two years ago. The trial, now in its second day, involves three men charged in the deaths of the Australian siblings and their American friend, Jack Carter Rhoad, who were on a surfing trip.

Authorities allege the group was targeted for their pickup truck in an attempted robbery, leading to their deaths. Martin Robinson told the court that his life had become "hell" since the loss of his sons, emphasizing not only their deaths but also their lost potential and dreams. He recounted the painful process of identifying Callum by a tattoo and Jake through photographs.

Jack Carter Rhoad's mother, Page, also testified, comparing the crime to an execution and sharing her son's love for Mexico. The victims' truck was found burned near their bodies, which were discovered with gunshot wounds. A protected witness previously testified to accompanying one of the defendants to the crime scene and hearing gunshots, later being threatened into silence.

The disappearances and deaths of the surfers generated significant public outcry and grief in Australia and the United States, prompting extensive social media searches for their bodies. Martin Robinson expressed a lack of resentment but an inability to comprehend how the lives of "two beautiful people" could be taken. The trial is anticipated to conclude by the end of September, with Natalie Rhoad, Jack Carter Rhoad's widow, scheduled to testify next.