A court in Baja California has ordered a 20-year prison sentence for a 23-year-old Mexican woman found guilty of instigating and participating in the violent robbery that resulted in the deaths of two Australian surfer brothers and an American man last April. The victims were camping near a remote beach when their truck was targeted, officials said.
Robbery turns deadly during remote surfing trip
The victims, Australians aged 30 and 33, and a 30-year-old U.S. citizen, were reported missing on 27 April 2024 after travelling to the area to surf. Investigators say they were camping near Ensenada when the group planning to steal their pickup truck carried out the robbery.
Evidence showed the accused woman identified the surfers as prime targets, telling her accomplices: “They have good phones and good tires,” according to the authorities.
Her role included making first contact with the trio and encouraging her boyfriend and two other men to attack and rob them. The fatal shootings followed shortly after the robbery was set in motion.
Legal outcome and broader concerns
In the court ruling, the defendant was found guilty of violent robbery in connection with the triple homicide and given a 20-year sentence in a children’s court setting in Baja California.
Three other suspects have already been arrested and face separate murder trials, as the region grapples with increasing incidents of foreign tourists being attacked during travel in Mexico.
Travel safety implications for international visitors
The case has raised fresh warnings about safety risks for surfing tourists in remote coastal areas of Mexico. Authorities emphasise the importance of alertness when camping or driving through isolated zones, where criminal groups may target vehicles and valuables.
For travellers heading to surf destinations off the beaten path, goods like high-end electronics and vehicles may become unintended magnets for robbery attempts.
