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Migrant shot dead by Arizona rancher, 73, was cartel drug smuggler, says ex Border Patrol chief... as prosecutors DOWNGRADE charges from 1st to 2nd degree murder amid growing public outrage
Daily Mail UK ^ | February 24, 2023 | Jennifer Smith

Posted on 02/24/2023 11:56:33 PM PST by Morgana

The migrant shot dead by an Arizona rancher on his land last month was likely a cartel drug smuggler or scout, according to a former Border Patrol chief, who says the area is known for 'violence'.

George Alan Kelly, 73, was arrested on charges of first degree murder for shooting Gabriel Cuen-Butimea on January 30 at his home. That charge has now been downgraded to a second degree murder charge.

He denies the murder, insisting he only ever fired warning shots when he saw what he perceived to be a gang of cartel smugglers on his land.

Former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott, who was previously a supervisor in the area, told NewsNation that the area has a 'propensity for violence'.

'Everything that I have seen, my professional experience would tell me that that guy was either a scout or an actual guide for a group.

'With the radio, [it's] much more likely he was actually scouting out in advance, or the front-man, but that type of activity and behavior doesn't take place out there unless it's part of the cartel,' he said.

He added: 'That has been a tough area to work for many, many years. The cartel operation in that area has had a propensity for violence.

'A good friend of mine was actually pinned down by automatic weapons fire for 20 minutes while the cartel came, recovered the narcotics they were trying to smuggle in.'

Today, the first degree charge against Kelly was dramatically downgraded to second degree murder amid growing questions surrounding the case, and after well-wishers raised enough money for Kelly to meet his $1million bail.

Kelly - who has no criminal history - told called Border Patrol on January 30 at 2.30pm to report a group of Mexican men running through his land.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: aliens; arizona; cartels; kelly
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To: maddog55

Exactly. Where the hell is the Demented One with his Gold Medal of Freedon J6 Security Guard limited edition? This rancher deserves a medal not being locked up in jail. What the government is doing to him is Nazism.


21 posted on 02/25/2023 6:42:50 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Remember what FJB Brandon said, "...more than half of the women in my administration are women.")
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To: Morgana

I blame Joe Biden.


22 posted on 02/25/2023 6:44:30 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: Morgana

Sounds like some public servants missed out on their cut and want revenge, arrest and prosecute the Rancher for costing them money, that’s the ticket.


23 posted on 02/25/2023 6:47:48 AM PST by eyeamok (founded in cynicism, wrapped in sarcasm)
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To: Morgana

Just last Wednesday, I saw a video on the growth of militias at work on the Mexican border. They were said to be assisting the Border Patrol by making arrests. There was one reported instance of the militia actually crossing the river in pursuit of cartel smugglers.

Has any one else heard of this extremely welcome phenomena?


24 posted on 02/25/2023 6:50:15 AM PST by bert ( (KWE. NP. N.C. +12) Juneteenth is inequality day )
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To: nesnah

“The headline says “migrant” and “cartel drug smuggler”.”

The 50-IQ media morons have been brainwashed to refer to criminal alien invaders as so-called “migrants.”


25 posted on 02/25/2023 6:55:38 AM PST by sergeantdave (AI is the next iteration of a copy and paste machine.)
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To: Morgana

26 posted on 02/25/2023 7:09:03 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true . . . I have no proof, but they're true.)
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To: Morgana

Ill bet he now wishes he had just dug a hole and buried the trash.


27 posted on 02/25/2023 8:09:19 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: Morgana

“insisting he only ever fired warning shots”. Well the rest of them were certainly warned.


28 posted on 02/25/2023 8:37:51 AM PST by EandH Dad (sleeping giants wake up REALLY grumpy)
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To: unread

GoFundMe shut down his defense donation page’cause the rancher is on the “wrong” side and is of the “wrong” race.
His defense fund is on GiveSendGo.


29 posted on 02/25/2023 3:39:21 PM PST by Eagles6 (Welcome to the Matrix . Orwell's "1984" was a warning, not an instruction manual.)
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To: Eagles6
"His defense fund is on GiveSendGo."

Thanks for that..

30 posted on 02/25/2023 3:57:07 PM PST by unread ("It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." W. Churchill.)
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