Arizona Rancher George Alan Kelly to Face Trial for Murder of Mexican National on Border Property
An Arizona rancher, George Alan Kelly, is set to face trial on Thursday for the murder of a Mexican national found shot to death on his border property. The trial, scheduled to begin with jury selection at 8:30 a.m. local time in Santa Cruz Superior Court, comes after several delays.
Kelly, in his 70s, is charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection to the shooting death of 48-year-old Gabriel Cuen Buitimea, of Nogales, Mexico, on January 30, 2023. Law enforcement discovered Buitimea’s body on Kelly’s property near the U.S.-Mexico border.
The case gained national attention when Kelly was initially charged with first-degree, premeditated murder and held on a $1 million bond. The bond amount was later upheld by Judge Emilio Velasquez, but Kelly was eventually released, and the most serious charge was downgraded to second-degree murder.
Kelly’s defense attorney, Brenna Larkin, detailed in court documents how Kelly claimed to have spotted a group of armed men on his property and fired warning shots into the air before the men fled. Prosecutors, however, argue that Kelly recklessly fired toward unarmed migrants, resulting in Buitimea’s death.
The trial is expected to last three weeks, with jury selection taking place on Thursday and opening statements set for Tuesday. The case has been marked by contrasting narratives from the defense and prosecution, with Kelly’s attorney suggesting that witnesses may have been influenced by drug traffickers seeking to blame the incident on Kelly.
As the trial unfolds, the community will be watching closely to see how the case of the State of Arizona v. George Alan Kelly ultimately plays out.
