A weapon entered into evidence in the murder trial involving two Australian brothers and their American friend killed in Mexico is not the murder weapon, a court has heard.
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court → enter → Mexico
Warning: This story contains details and descriptions that some readers may find distressing.
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readers → contain → details
Three Mexican men are facing trial for the 2024 murders of Jake and Callum Robinson, and Carter Rhoad.
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men → face → Robinson
Jesús Gerardo, known as "El Kekas", Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús are charged with aggravated homicide, aggravated robbery, violent robbery and grand theft auto.
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Gerardo → know → homicide
Their full names have been withheld for legal reasons.
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names → withhold → reasons
The prosecution has argued that the murders occurred during a robbery gone wrong, while the defence has said there is not enough evidence to prove that theory.
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defence → argue → theory
The bodies of the three men, who had travelled to Mexico on a surfing trip, were found down a well in a remote coastal area of Mexico's Baja Peninsula.
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who → travel → Peninsula
A fourth body was discovered with them, but is not connected to this trial.
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body → discover → trial
This week a judge-only trial in the town of Ensenada heard from forensic specialists about each man's gunshot wounds.
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trial → hear → wounds
It was the first time the court was told this level of detail, with the autopsy results previously withheld.
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results → tell → detail
The court heard that ballistics experts had determined the fatal wounds were caused by bullets from a .45-calibre gun.
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wounds → hear → gun
Jake Robinson was also shot with one 9mm bullet but that wound was not what killed him.
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what → shoot → him
All three men died from penetrating skull injuries.
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men → die → injuries
Earlier in the trial, prosecutors entered a 9mm gun into evidence, telling the court it had been found in a vehicle used by Jesús Gerardo.
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it → enter → Gerardo
The court heard the gun had no serial number and is what is known as an "80 per cent gun" — an unfinished frame completed with other parts after purchase, often referred to as a ghost gun.
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what → hear → gun
Jesús Gerardo's ex-girlfriend, Ari Gisell, appeared before the court earlier in the trial.
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girlfriend → appear → trial
She was last year sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in the robbery that allegedly led to the killings.
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that → sentence → killings
She testified that the 9mm gun belonged to Jesús Gerardo.
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gun → testify → Gerardo
"Gerardo always had his weapon with him; he slept with it under his pillow," she said.
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she → have → pillow
She also gave testimony that Irineo Francisco was always "carrying his .45".
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Francisco → give → .45
But the ABC understands the prosecution does not have a .45-calibre gun.
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prosecution → understand → gun
The only gun presented to the court is the 9mm weapon.
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gun → present → court
Court hears about fourth body found in well
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Court → hear → well
A forensic witness earlier this week told the court it was likely the victims had been shot from behind.
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victims → tell → behind
"I do not know the height of the shooters, but for the height of the victims — [taller] than the Mexican average — I would say they were lying down or kneeling," he said.
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he → know → average
A defence lawyer representing Ángel Jesús questioned whether the witness had enough information to determine that.
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witness → represent → that
"No, I don't," the witness replied.
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witness → do → ?
The fourth man found in the well also died from a penetrating skull injury, the court heard, and the expert judged that his body was in the well for between two and four weeks.
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body → find → weeks
He concluded his evidence and shook hands with the bereaved parents of Jake and Callum Robinson, who have travelled to Mexico to attend the trial.
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who → conclude → trial
The Aporia
