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Mexican woman receives 20-year sentence for instigating tourist murders
A 23-year-old Mexican woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for her involvement in the murders of three foreign tourists during a carjacking in Baja California last year. Ari Gisell admitted in court to orchestrating the violent attack that claimed the lives of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad, who were on a surfing trip in April 2024 when they vanished.
The crime and investigation
The victims' bodies were later discovered at the bottom of a deep well, each with gunshot wounds to the head. According to court testimony, Gisell had expressed interest in the tires on the surfers' vehicle and instructed her then-boyfriend, Jesús Gerardo, to "bring me a good phone and good tyres for my pickup truck."
Jesús Gerardo, along with two accomplices-Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús-tracked the tourists to their campsite, robbed them, and fatally shot them. The cases against these three men remain ongoing in Mexican courts. While Jesús Gerardo and Irineo Francisco reportedly have ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, prosecutors have stated they do not believe the murders were linked to organized crime, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Cartel connections and detentions
Mexican newspaper La Silla Rota reported that Jesús Gerardo and Irineo Francisco are associated with the Sinaloa Cartel, once led by Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. Due to these alleged connections, both men are being held in El Hongo, a maximum-security prison in Baja California. Ángel Jesús is detained separately in Ensenada.
Victims' lives and family statements
The victims' families delivered emotional statements during Wednesday's hearing via video conference. Debra Robinson, mother of Callum and Jake, lamented the loss of their futures: "We dreamed of seeing them grow older, of having children. That's all taken now."
Callum Robinson, 33, was a member of Australia's national lacrosse team and resided in San Diego, just across the border from Baja California. His younger brother Jake, 30, had traveled from Australia to visit him and was set to begin a new job as a doctor upon his return. Their friend Carter Rhoad, 30, a San Diego resident working in technology services, was months away from marrying his fiancée, Natalie Wiertz.
"He was my safety in the world," Wiertz told the court. "My life is now a nightmare."
Defendant's apology and courtroom remarks
Gisell, a single mother, offered a tearful apology during the proceedings, acknowledging the irreparable harm caused. "Nothing I can say will compensate you or give you peace," she said, as quoted by La Silla Rota. "I am focused on being a better person, and I am very sorry for your losses."
Under Mexican court reporting rules, only the first and middle names of the defendants were disclosed, with surnames withheld.
