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The families of two Perth brothers and their American friend killed in Mexico in 2024 have chosen to attend the trial in person, stating they want to hear the truth and understand what happened to the three men when legal proceedings begin this week.
Three men have been accused of murdering Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad in cold blood at their campsite in the Mexican state of Baja California after attempting to steal tyres off their truck.
An oral trial of the accused will begin on Monday September 7 (Mexico time), although judicial experts say the process is a relatively new concept for Mexican courts.
Jorge Peniche works at the Guernica Centre for International Justice, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at helping victims of rights abuse, and said oral trials were only introduced in Mexico courts in 2008.
The shift to the new system was aimed at cracking down on judicial corruption, which has been a long-standing issue for Mexican authorities.
However, Peniche said the Robinson case could be protected from corruption due to its high profile among international media.
None of the three men facing charges have entered pleas,
The accused men, Jesus Gerardo, also known as El Kekas, Irineo Francisco and Angel Jesus, appeared in court in Ensenada last year, and had a plea deal formally presented to them.
Mexican prosecutors offered El Kekas 52-years jail and his two co-accused 47 years each respectively.
The trio formally rejected the deal offered to them by the prosecution.
A total of 35 witnesses are expected to be called during the trial.
In a social media post shared by the Callum and Jake Robinson Foundation, started by the family of the brothers after their death, their parents Debra and Martin Robinson stated that they would head to Ensenada, Mexico, to be there for the trial.
“After everything we have endured, being there feels both incredibly important and overwhelmingly difficult,” the post read.
“We are going because we need to be there, not only for ourselves, but to represent the immense love, heartbreak and unimaginable loss felt by their families, friends and everyone who loved these three extraordinary young men.
“We want to hear the truth. We want to understand what happened. And most importantly, we want to be their voices, because they can no longer speak for themselves.
“This is not about revenge, it is about truth, justice and love.”
In an Instagram post, Callum Robinson’s girlfriend before his death, Emily Horwath, issued a reminder to those who had lost loved ones.
“Although we are entering into an overwhelmingly emotional time I’ve felt more connected to Cal over the last few days than I have in a long time,” the post read.
“Every time I begin to doubt his everlasting presence he shows up loud.
“Just a reminder to those with loved ones lost , they’re always with you.”
Speaking at press conference on Sunday, WA Police Minister Reece Whitby described the death of the three men as a horrific and terrible event.
“My thoughts are with them,” he said.
“It’s going to be quite a harrowing experience for them to hear the evidence and to sit through that.
“But I think they want to be there for their boys and to see justice is done.”
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