The father of two Australian surfers killed in Mexico two years ago testified in court on Tuesday, stating his life had been turned into “hell”. Martin Robinson spoke during the second day of the high-profile trial.
Three men are charged in connection with the deaths of Australian brothers Jake, 30, and Callum Robinson, 33, and their 30-year-old American friend Jack Carter Rhoad. The men were on a surfing trip to Mexico’s Pacific coast in April 2024.
Authorities allege the three men were killed during an attempted robbery to steal their pickup truck. Their bodies were later discovered in a cliff-top shaft with gunshot wounds to their heads, and the truck was found burned near the bodies.
Martin Robinson described the process of identifying his sons' bodies, noting Callum was identified by a forearm tattoo. Rhoad's mother, Page, also testified, comparing the crime to an execution and stating, “I miss my son every day.”
A protected witness testified on Monday, stating they accompanied one of the defendants to the crime scene, fled after hearing gunshots, and were later threatened into silence. The trial is anticipated to run until the end of September, with Rhoad's widow, Natalie, scheduled to testify on Wednesday.