Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
NOGALES, ARIZONA: According to court documents recently submitted by state prosecutors, George Alan Kelly, a rancher near Nogales, allegedly made chilling statements in text messages regarding his involvement with migrants.
In the messages, Kelly purportedly mentioned that he had buried 27 migrants, alluding to them being "growing daisies" in the ground.
Kelly, aged 75, further detailed his interaction with 33 migrants, describing his use of a heated AK-47 firearm. The messages, as presented by prosecutors, provide insight into Kelly's mental state preceding an incident where a migrant was fatally shot on his property.
The text messages attributed to Kelly contain disturbing content, indicating that he claimed to be "mowing down migrants at a large clip." Additionally, he made references to being "locked and loaded," and highlighted the significance of his AK-47 firearm.
George Alan Kelly accused of second-degree murder
Kelly stands accused of the death of Gabriel Cuen Buitimea. The tragic incident occurred on January 30, when Buitimea's body was discovered on Kelly's approximately 170-acre Kino Springs property.
Presently, the rancher is facing several charges, including one count of second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault.
The recent hearing, held on August 9, was intended to address matters related to orders requiring prosecutors to furnish expert witness reports to the defense before August 4, and the judge did verify that the reports had been provided to the defense within the stipulated time frame.
Testimony from a law enforcement officer regarding Kelly's statements following his apprehension was also presented during the hearing, though no rulings were made. A subsequent hearing, scheduled for August 11, aims to resolve the remaining evidentiary motions submitted by the attorneys involved in the case.
Why is George Alan Kelly being compared to the Unabomber?
Over a span of 17 years, Ted Kaczynski orchestrated a reign of terror across the nation, characterized by a series of bombings resulting in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to 23 others.
Kaczynski notably composed a comprehensive 35,000-word manifesto, aiming to rationalize the motivations behind his bombing campaign, spanning between 1978 and 1995.
During the hearing held on August 9, crucial testimony was provided by Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt Abraham Pacheco.
The sergeant recounted that Kelly engaged in a conversation about his self-published work, a 57-page book titled "Far Beyond the Border Fence," while being transported in handcuffs to the police station after the discovery of Buitimea's body.
Moreover, the submitted documents put forth by the prosecutors draw a parallel between George Alan Kelly and the infamous Kaczynski aka the "Unabomber." Kelly's actions were driven by his political perspectives, ideologies, and apparent hostility towards migrants, much like the motivations attributed to Kaczynski, as per the prosecution.
"Whether it is the Unabomber or something much less extreme […] you can express your politics whether 50% of the population agrees with you, 100% or 0%, but you cannot kill somebody over it," read the court documents.
