Mexico surfer death: Accused man confessed to girlfriend, court told

A man accused of the disappearance of three tourists during a surfing trip in Mexico has admitted killing them, a court has heard.

Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad disappeared on April 27 near Ensenada.

Jesús Gerardo appeared in court Wednesday on kidnapping charges, but authorities say murder charges will soon be filed.

Also known as “El Kekas”, he has not yet entered a plea.

Baja California state officials said the three tourists – all aged in their 30s – were likely killed while trying to prevent the theft of their van’s tires.

Their bodies were found dumped in a cliffside well six days after their disappearance, each with a gunshot to the head, according to local authorities. A fourth body was also found in the well, but it had been there for a longer period and was not linked to the case, they added.

Jesús was accused of “enforced disappearance” and his girlfriend Ari Gisel and another man were arrested for their alleged involvement. Their last names were suppressed by the courts.

During the court appearance Wednesday, prosecutors named Ari — who has not been charged in their disappearance — as one of their witnesses.

The court heard the 23-year-old told investigators Jesús showed up at her house on April 28, telling her he had done something to “three gringos”.

She asked him what he meant, to which he replied “I killed them”, the hearing was told.

He then showed her that he had fitted his car with new tires, which were allegedly stolen from the slain surfers, prosecutors said.

They also told the court they believed other people were involved in the killings.

Earlier this week, the parents of Jake and Callum Robinson traveled from Perth to Mexico to identify their bodies.

In a moving tribute on Tuesday, Debra Robinson said: “Now it’s time to bring them home to their family, friends and the ocean waves of Australia.”

These murders have sparked fear and anger in Baja California.

It is one of Mexico’s most violent states, where local drug gangs wage internecine wars.

But the Ensenada region, located about 75 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border and known for its surfing conditions, is considered safer and has long attracted California tourists.

Dozens of protesters marched through the city on Sunday, brandishing surfboards plastered with slogans demanding safe beaches.

A group of surfers then held a “paddle-out” ceremony, an ocean vigil in honor of the trio.