Three Surfers Shot and Killed on Baja California's Pacific Coast: Suspect 'El Kekas' Implicated

Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico Mexico
A fourth body was found underneath the surfers' bodies in the well, suggesting previous knowledge of it and involvement of the same attackers.
Jesús Gerardo, alias 'el Kekas', a man with a criminal record including drug dealing, vehicle theft and domestic violence, is suspected.
The attackers saw their pickup truck and tents and wanted to steal parts. When the surfers resisted, they were shot in the head.
Three surfers - two Australians and an American - were killed on Baja California's Pacific coast on April 28 or 29, 2024.
Three Surfers Shot and Killed on Baja California's Pacific Coast: Suspect 'El Kekas' Implicated

In a tragic incident, three surfers - two Australians and an American - were killed in Baja California's Pacific coast on April 28 or 29, 2024. The attackers likely saw their pickup truck and tents and wanted to steal parts. When the surfers resisted, they were shot in the head. The killers attempted to destroy evidence by burning the surfers' tents and pickup truck. A fourth body was found underneath the surfers' bodies in the well, suggesting previous knowledge of it and involvement of the same attackers. Jesús Gerardo, alias ‘el Kekas’, a man with a criminal record including drug dealing, vehicle theft and domestic violence, is suspected of being involved. The surfers had likely stopped to surf the breaks between Punta San José, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Ensenada, and La Bocana, further north on the coast. They were shot in the head and their bodies dumped in a covered well miles away. The trio had disappeared from Baja California province nearly a week prior to their bodies being found.



Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • It's unclear if 'el Kekas' has been officially charged or arrested.
  • The exact location of the incident is not mentioned.

Sources

98%

  • Unique Points
    • Three surfers, two Australians (Jake and Callum Robinson) and an American (Jack Carter Rhoad), were killed in Baja California’s Pacific coast on April 28 or 29, 2024.
    • The attackers likely saw their pickup truck and tents and wanted to steal parts. When the surfers resisted, they were shot in the head.
    • The killers attempted to destroy evidence by burning the surfers’ tents and pickup truck.
    • A fourth body was found underneath the surfers’ bodies in the well, suggesting previous knowledge of it and involvement of the same attackers.
    • Jesús Gerardo, alias ‘el Kekas’, a man with a criminal record including drug dealing, vehicle theft and domestic violence, is suspected of being involved.
  • Accuracy
    • Three people are being questioned in connection to the killings, two of whom were caught with methamphetamines and one had a victim’s cellphone. One is believed to have directly participated in the crime.
    • The victims had visited the spot many times before without incident.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

  • Unique Points
    • Three bodies were discovered in an abandoned well overlooking the ocean.
    • Each body sustained gunshot wounds.
    • Jack Carter Rhoad was set to marry his fiancée Natalie Wiertz in August.
    • The trio disappeared from Baja California province nearly a week prior to their bodies being found.
  • Accuracy
    • Three bodies were found in an abandoned well overlooking the ocean.
    • The attackers likely saw their pickup truck and tents and wanted to steal parts. When the surfers resisted, they were shot in the head.
    • The killers attempted to destroy evidence by burning the surfers’ tents and pickup truck.
    • The bodies were dumped into a well about 4 miles away from the crime scene.
    • Three people are being questioned in connection to the killings, two of whom were caught with methamphetamines and one had a victim’s cellphone. One is believed to have directly participated in the crime.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

93%

  • Unique Points
    • Three tourists, two Australians (Callum Robinson and Jake Robinson) and one American (Jack Carter Rhoad), went missing in Ensenada, Mexico while on a surf trip.
    • Their bodies were found at the bottom of a well with gunshot wounds to their heads.
    • Suspects were detained within days of their disappearance. More people are being investigated.
  • Accuracy
    • They had been killed in a carjacking gone wrong.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains an appeal to authority and a dichotomous depiction. The appeal to authority is present when the author states that 'the quick response from the authorities to locate the Robinson siblings and Jack Carter Rhoad... seemed to be an exception in a country where tens of thousands of missing-person cases have sat for years without ever being solved.' This statement implies that the fast resolution is unusual and suggests that authorities are typically slow or ineffective. The dichotomous depiction is found in the phrase 'a crisp waves' which contrasts Baja California as both a popular destination for travelers and a place where tragedies like this occur.
    • The well where the remains of three missing tourists were found this weekend near La Bocana Beach, south of Ensenada, Mexico.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

  • Unique Points
    • Three bodies have been confirmed as those of missing American Jack Carter Rhoad and Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson.
    • The three friends went missing on April 29 near the town of Ensenada, about 60 miles south of the border city of Tijuana.
    • One of the suspects is identified as Jesús Gerardo 'El Kekas'.
    • The bodies were found with gunshot wounds to the head in a well.
    • Baja California has been plagued by cartel violence in recent years, though it rarely occurs in tourist areas like Ensenada.
    • A burned-out white pickup truck was found at a ranch near where the bodies were discovered and is confirmed to be the same one Callum Robinson posted an image of on Instagram a week before they went missing.
    • Callum Robinson will be remembered for his infectious spirit and larger-than-life personality.
  • Accuracy
    • , The attackers likely saw their pickup truck and tents and wanted to steal parts. When the surfers resisted, they were shot in the head.
    • , The confirmation of the surfers’ deaths is heartbreaking news for their desperate relatives who had flown to Mexico hoping for better news.
    • The trio disappeared from Baja California province nearly a week prior to their bodies being found.
    • Three people are being questioned in connection to the killings, two of whom were caught with methamphetamines and one had a victim’s cellphone. One is believed to have directly participated in the crime.
    • The victims had visited the spot many times before without incident.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains some instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority, but no formal or blatant logical fallacies were found. The authors provide information from Mexican officials regarding the possible motive for the deaths and the identification of the bodies. They also quote relatives of the victims expressing their emotions and reactions to the situation.
    • ][Mexico]'s homicide rate is among the highest in the world, and more than 100,000 people remain missing in the country.[/]
    • [Australian public broadcaster ABC reported that] about 500 people marched on Sunday to call for justice and better security[.]
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication