Díaz and Boas: A political firestorm is brewing over the killing of a migrant in southern Arizona

By Lauren Gilger
Published: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 - 12:38pm

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A 73-year-old rancher who lives near the U.S.-Mexico border in Southern Arizona is being charged with murder over the killing of a migrant on his property last month.

George Alan Kelly is being held on a $1 million bond in Santa Cruz County for the shooting death, but his lawyers now say that he denies firing anything but warning shots at smugglers on his property that day. Court records show that the man who was killed, Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, lived in Nogales, Sonora and had been convicted of illegal entry to the U.S. several times.

That’s nearly all we know about this case, but our next guests agree: It could become a political powder keg.

Elvia Diaz is the Editorial Page Editor for the Arizona Republic. She joined The Show along with columnist Phil Boas, who recently penned an opinion piece about all of this.

Elvia Díaz and Phil Boas
The Arizona Republic, Phil Boas
Elvia Díaz and Phil Boas

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