Arabic version: والدا روبنسون يسافران لحضور محاكمة في المكسيك

According to ABC News, Debra and Martin Robinson will travel to Ensenada, Mexico, for the trial of three men accused of murdering their sons, Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, and their American friend Carter Rhoad. The trial is due to begin on Monday.

Jake, a 31-year-old doctor from Perth, and Callum, 32, were killed during a camping and surfing trip in Baja California in April 2024. Callum had been living in the United States for 12 years after moving there to play lacrosse. The brothers had travelled south to Mexico after Jake went to California to meet Callum.

In a social media post, their parents said being at the trial felt “incredibly important and overwhelmingly difficult”. They said they wanted to hear the truth, understand what happened and represent the love, heartbreak and loss felt by the families and friends of the three men. “This is not about revenge. It is about truth, justice and love,” they wrote.

Jesús Gerardo, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús have been charged with aggravated homicide over the deaths. The prosecutor has sought 210-year prison sentences for each accused, plus a further 168 years for Jesús Gerardo, who also faces a forced disappearance charge. All three rejected plea deals involving prison terms of between 47 and 52 years, and also face charges including aggravated robbery, violent robbery and grand theft auto.

Western Australian government minister Reece Whitby described the case as every parent’s worst nightmare and said the trial would be harrowing for the Robinsons. Debra and Martin Robinson said attending court was among the last things they could do for their sons, adding that they would remember them for who they were and “never, ever let them be forgotten.”