George Alan Kelly, 73, has been charged with first-degree murder and had his bail set at $1 million after he allegedly killed a 48-year-old Mexican national, who was likely in the country illegally, on his ranch just 150 feet from the US border.
The Arizona cattle rancher is accused in the January 30 killing of Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, on his property just outside Nogales, Ariz., the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s office said.
Officials believe Cuen-Butimea was a Mexican citizen because of a Mexican voter registration card he carried.
He was living at the time in Nogales, Mexico — separated by the border from the Arizona town by the same name.
Cuen-Butimea had a history of illegally crossing the border and had been deported back to Mexico multiple times, most recently in 2016, according to federal documents obtained by the DailyMail.
Hours before the fatal shooting, authorities received a call from someone in the area who identified themselves as ‘Allen’ and said there was a ‘possible active shooter,’ Nogales International reported.
The caller told Border Patrol officials there was a ‘group of people running’ and said he ‘was unsure if he was getting shot at as well.’
Authorities later responded to another report of shots fired from the property and discovered the body of a deceased adult Hispanic male, Chief Deputy Gerardo Castillo told the outlet.
‘It doesn’t seem like Mr. Kelly and the decedent knew each other,’ he said. Authorities have not provided much information about the killing, including a possible motive.
Kelly asked a judge at his court hearing to reduce his $1 million bail so he could return to his wife, saying she could not take care of their ranch.
The shooting has left the neighborhood of Kino Springs shaken, with residents saying they have never felt unsafe in the border town before.
Maria Castillo, who has lived on Kino Springs and West Sagebrush Road for the past 10 years said it wasn’t unusual to see people crossing the border and going about town.
‘I drive through here every day,’ Castillo said. ‘Late, early, and never encountered anybody. I feel very safe living here in the area.’
A neighbor, who did not want to be identified, told media outlet they knew the alleged shooter personally and considered him a friend.
The friend said Kelly previously had issues with people on his property. The pal told KOLD that whatever the reason behind the shooting, he believes Kelly would have acted in good faith.
Arizona law allows the use of deadly force to prevent burglary of unoccupied residential structures and has similar rules as other states’ ‘stand your ground’ laws.
‘A person is justified in threatening or using physical force against another when and to the extent a reasonable person would believe that physical force is immediately necessary to protect himself against the other’s use or attempted use of unlawful physical force,’ the statute reads.
Kelly is being held at Santa Cruz County Jail. He is scheduled to reappear in court Wednesday.
