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An Arizona cattle rancher living near the US border with Mexico is pleading for his $1 million bail to be reduced after he was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a Mexican man who had a history of crossing into the country.
George Alan Kelly, 73, was charged with first-degree murder for the Jan. 30 killing of Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, on his ranch just outside Nogales, Arizona, 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 an American town by the same name.
He had a history of illegally crossing the US-Mexico border and had been deported on multiple occasions, including most recently in 2016, according to federal documents obtained by the Daily Mail.
Authorities have not provided much information about the killing, including a possible motive or whether the two men had known each other before the shooting.
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 herself or their ranch.
“She’s there by herself … nobody to take care of her, the livestock or the ranch,” he said, Nogales International reported.
The shooting 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, told KOLD News 13 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.”
Another neighbor, who did not want to be identified, told the outlet they knew the alleged shooter personally and even considered him a friend.
According to that friend, Kelly had previously had issues with people on his property. The friend noted that whatever reasons there may be behind the alleged shooting, he believes Kelly acted in good faith.
Kelly is being held at Santa Cruz County Jail. He is scheduled to reappear in court on Wednesday.
With Post wires
