George Alan Kelly: Arizona rancher accused of first-degree murder of Mexican man faces two new charges day before hearing

George Alan Kelly was already charged with first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, on January 30
PUBLISHED FEB 22, 2023
Kelly was arrested by sheriff's deputies who had allegedly found a dead man on Kelly's property on January 30. (Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office)
Kelly was arrested by sheriff's deputies who had allegedly found a dead man on Kelly's property on January 30. (Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office)

KINO SPRINGS, ARIZONA: Arizona rancher George Alan Kelly, who was already charged with first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of a Mexican man identified as Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, on January 30, is now facing two new charges just a day before his court hearing. The 73-year-old is now also facing two new criminal charges of aggravated assault.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office claimed in an amended complaint submitted on Tuesday, Feb 21 that Alan Kelly assaulted two more people on his ranch in Kino Springs on January 30. According to the lawsuit, the 73-year-old rancher attacked the people with "a rifle, a deadly weapon, or dangerous instrument," reports Nogales International.

RELATED ARTICLES

What jail term could George Alan Kelly get? 73-yr-old murder suspect could spend rest of life in prison

GoFundMe removes multiple pages raising money for murder suspect George Alan Kelly who shot a Mexican migrant

What are the charges George Alan Kelly faces?

In the updated lawsuit, the claimed victims are only identified by their initials and no other information about the alleged assaults is provided. Alan Kelly now faces a total of three criminal accusations, with first-degree murder being the most serious and severe.

(Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, 
NewsNation/YouTube video screenshot)
The victim has already been identified as Mexican citizen Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, 48, of Nogales, Sonora (Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, NewsNation/YouTube video screenshot)

Kelly was arrested by sheriff's deputies who had allegedly found a dead man on Kelly's property on January 30. The victim has already been identified as Mexican citizen Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, 48, of Nogales, Sonora. Deputies stated that Cuen-Buitimea looked to be unarmed. The rancher, 73 is now being held on a $1 million bond, which is normal in Santa Cruz County for murder prosecutions. A preliminary hearing on the case is set for Wednesday at Nogales Justice Court.

What sentences do his charges carry in Arizona?

George Alan Kelly is currently facing two charges of aggravated assault. Felony aggravated assault charges in Arizona are extremely serious and can have catastrophic consequences. Aggravated assault claims can emerge from a variety of circumstances. When someone intentionally causes another person substantial physical harm or physical disfigurement, they are accused of felony Aggravated Assault or threatening or seriously injuring another person with a lethal weapon or other dangerous objects. If the victim is bound or physically confined, or if the assault took place after the offender broke into the offender's victim's private residence with the intent to assault, it may also be deemed an aggravating assault, as per criminallawaz.

In Arizona, the prison sentence for aggravated assault is determined by the Class Felony charge, as well as the circumstances and severity of the incident. A Class 6 Felony has a prison sentence of 18 months to 3 years, while a Class 2 Felony carries a sentence of 7 to 21 years.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Before his shocking arrest, Manuel Rocha served under both Democratic and Republican administrations during his 25-year diplomatic career
Dec 4, 2023
Conflicting accounts emerged regarding the authorities' awareness, prompting a demand for a $1M settlement for William Vannasap's injuries
Dec 3, 2023
Annette Pershal was shot multiple times with a pellet gun and her injuries were non-survivable, said authorities
Dec 2, 2023
Christina Riggs became the 18th woman in the US to be executed and was the youngest woman to be put to death at just 28
Dec 2, 2023
A fire, initiated posthumously, has raised suspicions as Griffiths was found shot but the autopsy showed no signs of smoke inhalation
Dec 2, 2023
As per the lawsuit, Gabby Petito's parents allege that Brian Laundrie's parents knew about their daughter's death along with the location of the crime
Dec 2, 2023
Jeremy is 5’11, weighs 245 lbs., has brown hair that is greying, green eyes and a greying beard
Dec 1, 2023
Jovannie Vega is accused of picking up the little boy and slamming him down onto the floor multiple times
Dec 1, 2023
'I feel bad for the families because I know exactly what they're going through,' said Mark Jacobo, whose son was killed in a firearm incident
Dec 1, 2023