Retrial Decision Pending in Arizona Rancher Murder Case with Border Security Ties

“PHOENIX – Prosecutors will return to court on Monday afternoon to announce whether they plan to retry an Arizona rancher following a hung jury over his involvement in the shooting death of a Mexican national on his property last week. The jurors in George Alan Kelly’s case were unable to reach a unanimous decision after more than two days of deliberation, leading Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Thomas Fink to declare a mistrial on April 22nd. After the trial, prosecutors have the option either to retry Kelly or drop charges against him altogether.
The failure to secure a conviction has left questions as to what caused this development in the case of rancher George Alan Kelly who was accused of second-degree murder for his role in killing Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea on January 30, 2021. The trial lasted almost an entire month and took place at Nogales near Mexico’s southern border. Cuen-Buitimea, aged forty eight when he was fatally shot outside Arizona’s town of Nogales by Kelly while living just south of the international frontier in neighboring Mexican territory with his family.
Prosecutors alleged that Kelly recklessly discharged an AK47 assault rifle and aimed at least nine shots towards a group consisting mainly of Cuen-Buitimea, approximately one hundred yards away from him on ranchland property owned by the accused individual. However, defending their case earlier during negotiations in late 2021/early ’22 with Kelly’s attorneys had claimed that these bullets were simply fired into the air as warning shots rather than being aimed directly at any of those present.”
The mistrial came after Mexican consular officials and Cuen-Buitimea’s adult daughters met prosecutors to discuss its implications. The trial coincided with a presidential election year, which has generated significant interest in border security issues across the United States. During proceedings, jurors were taken on tours of Kelly’s cattle ranch and surrounding borders regions for visual instruction regarding certain locations featured throughout discussions.”