Two years after the alleged robbery that killed two Australians and one American, three men were on trial for their murders.
In April 2024, Australian brothers Jake Robinson and Callum Robinson (30 and 33 years old, respectively) and Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, were killed in Baja California, Mexico, while on a surf trip along the Pacific Coast.
The men’s pickup, found near the bodies of both victims in a burned state, was allegedly stolen and used to murder them.
The victims were camping on a remote area of the beach when they came under attack. The bodies of the two men were discovered in a shaft on a cliff top several days after their disappearance. They had gunshots wounds on their heads.
Ensenada, a port city in Mexico’s southwest coast was the starting point for proceedings.
Debra Robinson, a mother who had lost her son to suicide, stared intently at the defendant before breaking into tears.
It’s all about being there for our sons. Martin Robinson had told journalists earlier that she and her partner were “sure” they wanted to be present.
We want to know what happened. “We want to know why,” said he.
On April 27, 2024 the surfers went missing while camping at Ensenada. According to the prosecution, the assailants shot the surfers with guns on April 28 after “intentionally surprising them”. The bodies of the victims were discovered on May 3, 2020.
On Monday, three witnesses, including the stepson of one defendant, appeared in court. He described his stepfather’s violent behavior.
He said that he had accompanied the suspect to the scene of the crime, and was waiting near the site when “commotions” started.
He said that after the call, he returned to his group.
They warned him “that the same thing happened to gringos” would also happen to him if he spoke out.
Ary Gisell, girlfriend of stepfather’s witness, received a 20-year sentence in prison after she admitted to instigating the robbery to steal tires from the pickup.
Silva, according to the evidence provided by the prosecution was the one who first made contact with tourists. She noticed that they were carrying valuables. Silva testified in court that her boyfriend, two others men and she had encouraged them to rob surfers because they were “good tires and phones.”
In Australia and America, the crime caused outrage and grieving among the friends and family of the victims. They launched a massive search for the bodies on social media.
Callum Robinson, a professional lacrosse player in the U.S., was studying medicine with his brother Jake Robinson. BBC News, a CBS News partner network, reported that he had visited his brother in the U.S. and would soon be starting a new job as a physician upon returning to Australia.
Rhoad died a few weeks before his wedding. The court heard that his fiancee said, “He is my safety.” BBC: “My life has become a nightmare.”
Baja California, one of Mexico’s violentest states, is plagued by organized criminality and drug trafficking. However, tourists are not usually affected.
However, other foreigners have also been the victims of criminal acts on Mexico’s Pacific Coast.

The funeral for Ratko Miladic, convicted war crime, was held in Belgrade.
Mladic, also known as “the Butcher of Bosnia”, died in The Hague prison, Netherlands, at age 84, while serving his life sentence.
A UN tribunal found him guilty of genocide for his part in the Srebrenica Massacre, which took place in 1995 and saw around 8,000 Bosniak Muslim boys and men killed. The Srebrenica massacre was described by many as the worst European atrocity in history since World War Two.
After objections by some European leaders, a Serbian minister initially announced that Mladic’s funeral would be a state ceremony. However, the plans changed. The EU condemned Mladic’s “glorification” on Monday.
In a press release, the EU stated that Ratko Mladic had been convicted of war crimes and genocide as well as crimes against humanity.
The statement stated that “glorification, denial of genocide and revisionism are all incompatible with the fundamental values of the EU and EU candidates countries.”
Serbia is a candidate for EU membership since 2012. However, recent talks on joining the EU have stalled.
Ratko Miladic led Bosnian Serb troops in 1990s war against Bosnian Croats and Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims).
His troops carried out what was known as “ethnic cleaning” during the Bosnian War of 1992-1995 in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in an attempt to forcefully expel non-Serbians. The siege of Sarajevo resulted in the death of over 10,000 people.
Mladic, 16 years after his first arrest and indictment, was sentenced in 2021 to life imprisonment after a 9-year trial.
Mladic, despite his conviction of genocide by the International Criminal Court (ICC), remains an important national figure for many Serbs who see him as a hero defender of their nation.
His death has sparked many vigils, especially in Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska.
Local media said that several ministers of the Serbian Government, including Ministers for Justice NenadVujic and BratislavGasic were among the people who paid tribute to Mladic outside the church, where he lay on his back before burial.
The head of Serbian Orthodox church, Patriarch Porfirije led the funeral. He said that Mladic would “be deeply etched in our Serbian Orthodox people’s memory and prayers, as they feel and nurture an intense sense of gratitude to him”.
As people queued up to pay respect to the coffin, a long line formed early in the morning outside of the St Luka Church. Some of the men in the crowd were veterans, and others were wearing flags with pictures of him on them.
The crowds of mourners arrived outside the church several hours prior to the start time. They lit candles, while a chorus sang on loudspeakers in the sun.
Mladic’s coffin, which was kept in the church by several war veterans and his son as well as grandchildren, received condolences from inside.
Six soldiers draped flags on his coffin as it was carried by the government aircraft last week.
Anyone who wants to pay respects can take advantage of free bus service from Bosnia or most Serbian towns.
Fans of Serbian club Red Star Belgrade displayed a Mladic display before the derby victory over Partizan Belgrade on Sunday evening.
Others have been re-awakened by the painful memories from the war.
Zdravka Gvozdjar, a woman from Sarajevo whose son of nine years was murdered by Mladic’s forces in the siege on the city told Reuters that it was “horrible” the funeral would be held in Belgrade.
Mladic had “deserved to be erased forever from the memory, and not… to be promoted as a… hero,” said she.
He should only be remembered as a murderer.
Daniella Peled of the Institute of War and Peace Reporting, an NGO that covered Mladic’s war crimes case in depth, said thousands attended his funeral. He “remains as a symbol of pride and defiance for the nation.”
She told BBC that the war crimes court “provided a detailed history of Mladic’s crimes”, but Serbian education and media “hasn’t reflected the real scale of Mladic’s crimes, or the perspectives and experiences of survivors and victims.”

Exit polls indicate that Germany’s AfD will win a major victory in Saxony Anhalt. It is far ahead of the mainstream opposition. The AfD claims it won the mandate to govern the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. It’s not clear yet if this will be enough for them to gain power.
Projections show that the far-right party will win between 44 and 44.5 percent of the votes, well ahead of conservative CDU with 18.5%.
AfD has called the outcome a historic one, and Ulrich Siegmund has refused to govern with anyone else.
Since World War Two no far-right parties have won the control of any state in Germany. Governing at the state level means having powers over local education, culture, and law enforcement.
Saxony Anhalt is a state with a population of 2.1 millions. The AfD there has been classified by the domestic intelligence service as a “far right extremist”. This classification was rejected by Siegmund.
AfD’s predicted result was higher than previous opinion polls, but the outcome will be determined by which smaller parties gain seats in the state legislature before party leaders can determine if there are enough to form a government.
It may depend on which of the smaller groups can get over the required threshold. The AfD will have a better chance of winning if it doesn’t.
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The ultimate safe-haven is gold. As geopolitical uncertainties increase, European central bankers are reconsidering the location of their most valuable reserve assets. The Netherlands is the third country to move its gold from North America back to London. This move has sparked concerns that central banks may be preparing for an economic crisis. The move, according to experts, is not about anticipating a major economic shock, but rather about preparing countries for an uncertain future, in which geopolitical conflicts, trade wars and inflation rates will change the way they manage their reserve funds.
The Netherlands has shifted their gold
De Nederlandsche Bank, or DNB, moved 86 tons of its 313 tonnes of gold in US and Canada vaults to Bank of England in London between March and August. DNB said the decision was taken “in light of the increasing geopolitical instability” to ensure that gold would be available “for use in crisis situations”. BBC cites Governor Olaf Sleijpen as saying that the move was made “in view of increasing geopolitical unrest” so that gold could be “readily available for use in a crisis situation”. US trade is also affected by the ongoing conflict with Iran.
London Relocation
London was selected because it’s a global trading hub. DNB considers gold at the Bank of England to be the most readily tradable in the world, which makes it easier for a country in crisis to access than gold in the US and Canada. Bank of England, one of the largest gold depository in the world. The vaults under the central London institution, which is 300 years old, hold 400,000 bars of gold worth over PS200 billion. World Gold Council surveys indicate that the Bank of England is still the top vaulting site, despite central banks diversifying their gold storage locations. Goldman Sachs analysts Lina Thoms and Daan Strouyven said to the BBC that London was increasingly being chosen by reserve managers as a location for their country’s gold. DNB has changed its reserve distribution as a result of the Dutch decision. Prior to the transfer, 31,3% of DNB’s gold was stored in New York while 19,7% in Ottawa. The shares of both have fallen now to 18.5%. London has increased its share from 18.1% up to 32.1%. The Netherlands still holds 30.8%. DNB’s total gold inventory was 612.4 tons at the end 2025. This stock is valued at EUR72.2billion.
All the gold has not been physically moved
This relocation included both physical transfer and gold transactions. DNB bought and sold 59 tons in New York, with an equal amount purchased in London. This meant that this part of the shipment did not need to cross the Atlantic. Over 27 tonnes of goods were transported physically from the US, Canada and the Netherlands to Zeist. The same amount was moved then from Zeist back to London. Gold bars didn’t need to be melted. DNB stated, “Combining processes of buying and shipping and physical transportation has allowed DNB the spread risks associated with a such complex physical gold move.” Transport method is not disclosed. The companies involved are keeping their transport methods secret, and it takes extensive planning to safely move these quantities.
Central banks buy more gold
The Netherlands has made its decision as central banks are increasing their gold purchases. According to the World Gold Council they have amassed an average annual of 1,000 tons over the last four years – compared with 500 tons a year in the previous decade. This increase is continuing since the global economic crisis, and it’s expected to continue over the coming year. Gold storage costs money. Thomas and Struyven stated that “Domestic Storage requires investments in physical security and audit infrastructure; and costs can be disproportionate to smaller central banks.” France moved gold to Europe from New York earlier in the year for another reason. Banque de France reported that 129 tons of gold in New York didn’t meet London Bullion Market Association standards for purity. The bank chose to sell the gold bars and buy an equal amount in Europe, rather than having them transported back to France for remelting. According to Banque de France, the transaction will generate a capital gain in excess of EUR11billion by 2025. France’s gold reserves remained at the same level of 2,437 tons. Since 2005, the central bank has been bringing gold reserves into line with market trends. The Bundesbank of Germany transferred 216 tons from overseas storage over a period ending 2016 including 111 from New York, and 105 from Paris. This practice is nothing new. Thomas and Struyven, BBC reported that during the Cold War some European central banks transferred part of their gold to New York.
The End of the Article

Now, goodbye
How many superlatives do you need?
Pierre Gasly achieved the pole position this weekend, even though he was 1000-1.
The Frenchman’s achievement is even more sweet because it comes just 24 hours after his Monaco Grand Prix podium was stripped.
Can he convert that pole to a victory?
Tomorrow at 13:00 BST, we’ll find out.
Gasly: ‘I am very excited about tomorrow.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly speaks to Sky Sports about emotional rollercoasters and bouncing back: “Story my life. Yesterday, I would have preferred to not hear that bad news. It is different, but honestly. It is pure emotion and it’s just lovely. I put a lot into it, and to be rewarded in this way is priceless. That is why I work and am very excited about tomorrow.”
Gasly: ‘We’re not here to play the lottery’
Pierre Gasly of Alpine, in a Sky Sports interview about his chances to win a race: “Why? It’s true. The odds will not be in my favor, but I’ll do all I can to prepare for tomorrow. I also know how it feels to not have anyone ahead of me on the track. At least I’m glad to be starting on pole. It is a guarantee that I will do my best.
There is so much that is unknown, but Formula 1 is Formula 1 and you can’t control everything. Just try my best. There is a lot that I do not know, and I have no idea where tomorrow will bring us. “Hopefully, we can hang on for as long as is possible.”
Hamilton: “We have an amazing car”
Lewis Hamilton says: “I believe we have an amazing car. The Mercedes engines are all ahead of us, and we have done well to stay so close. They are gaining a few tenths in the straight, but that’s what it comes down to. It’s just a matter of doing the best that we can. In the future, we’d like to see tracks that are less dependent on power. “I’m grateful for the factory guys because they brought an upgrade, and they’re really pushing. This is the situation that we’re currently in.”
Hamilton: ‘Execution was very poor in Q3.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari driver and Sky Sports commentator after qualifying fifth for the home race of his team: “It definitely was very, very difficult.” It felt great in Q1 and I did not change anything in the car in Q2. For some reason, we waited and waited on the pit-lane during the first half of Q2. We’ll need to investigate this. The execution in Q3 wasn’t very good. Then I found myself in the middle with no one. It’s important to get into rhythm. I was out of sync for the first Q3 and the second Q3, but it wasn’t bad.
Gasly: ‘I am extremely grateful to the entire team.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly talking to Sky Sports regarding his pole position in Monza: “I have no idea what’s going on there.” My first victory here has a very special place in me, but we came here today aiming for Q3.
The car felt great this morning, it felt even better in qualifying. I was in P1 in Q1, which I considered odd because others would be turning it up. I then carried on with the pace and managed to get everything I could out of the last lap. I’m extremely happy. I’ve been in F1 for nine years and have yet to get a pole.
The team, the car and myself are all extremely thankful for today’s success.
Antonelli: ‘I had to help my teammate as much as possible’
Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes driver and Sky Sports commentator on his recent role in helping his teammate today: “It is what I must do.” It was the team that asked and I obliged. I helped as much as I could. Even the solo lap was strange. It is a little odd to go in two. With the penalty I received today, I was expected to do my best to assist and be a teammate. “I think I did well with it and am happy that everything worked out.”
The driver said that he would try and stay clear of traffic in the chicanes in the opening two laps, and in order to catch up with the fastest cars in the early stages of Sunday’s race.
We need to get the most out of this situation
Steve Nielsen, Alpine’s managing director on his mood change over the weekend. “Today? The team’s current situation is good. If you had asked me just two or three weeks ago, I would have said that we were in the mud. In just two days, it’s amazing to go from the bottom to the top. We need to take it all in and enjoy it.
Tifosi disappointed
Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist in Monza
The Ferrari fans were ecstatic when Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Kimi Anthonylli drove by.
Once Q3 began, however, things changed. Achieving pole for Scuderia looked like a daunting task. After fourth and fifth were confirmed, the stand was quickly empty. It was also stiflingly warm. But fans gave an “Awwww!” collectively. Wow!” Wow!”
“Anything’s possible tomorrow”
Alpine managing director Steve Nielsen said to Sky Sports that Pierre is “a class act” and that he would deliver if given the right machine. Last year, we failed to deliver on this promise a couple of times. When we’ve given him competitive equipment, he delivered. It was great to watch the team rebound, and to have him perform on the track that he is familiar with. He lives nearby, in Milan. It was fantastic.
We must not forget Franco, either. He’s done an excellent job today. Who knows, I think we’ve given them an excellent car. “Anything is possible today.”
Post
Rebecca Clancy
F1 Journalist on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2.
Why not? Why is [Pierre Gasly] not going for the win in this race? Russell’s Mercedes engine is the same as Gasly’s. He has an obviously better chassis and he drove much better today, so I believe he can be there. He could get the podium that he lost in Monaco.
Post
Jean Alesi, who was also with Benetton at the time of his 1997 pole position in Monza, is the last Frenchman to have done so.
This is the first time Alpine has won a pole since adopting their new name, and it’s also the first time the Enstone-based squad has done so since Fernando Alonso achieved the same feat for Renault at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2009.
This is the first pole that the team has achieved in the last 17 years.
It was a great day.
Gasly: ‘Something Special Around Here’
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, who will begin the Italian Grand Prix from pole position: “It is amazing. Thank you all.” The qualifying was incredible from the very first lap of Q1. I felt great in the car, and tried to improve a bit in each session.
It was a good lap, but it’s been 9 years since I chased and got the chance to grab pole position. It is special to win my race at Monza and get my pole position here.
“Good to get a good result” – Piastri
Oscar Piastri of McLaren, who starts Sunday’s race third, said: “I thought the first lap was good. I asked if anybody wanted to take the lead out of pit lane. But no one did. I knew that it would be difficult. I misjudged my braking and got locked up. It was a good session, but it is nice to get a result. “I’ll take that.”
He’s in front of me yet again! Russell
Mercedes’ George Russell, speaking after qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix in P2, said: “Massive congratulations to Pierre. That’s an amazing performance. He beat me in a game 15 minutes prior to qualifying, and I said “I’ll be able to beat him again” and I was right. It was disappointing not to have pole. The opening lap was messy, with Verstappen leading the way. Pierre and Alpine were super-fast, starting in Q1. “I’m happy to see that they got a great result.”