Court filings by a lawyer representing a rancher in the Nogales area charged with the premeditated murder of a Mexican man found on his ranch said the rancher fired warning shots in self-defense earlier in the day. Allegedly, he provided additional details about the disastrous discovery in response to several armed men breaking into his ranch.
George Alan Kelly, 75, remains incarcerated at the Santa Cruz County Adult Detention Center on $1 million bail. He is scheduled to return to court on February 22 for a preliminary hearing.
His attorney, Brenna Larkin, filed a motion asking the judge to lower Kelly’s bail and release him, saying the amount was “clearly excessive and the defendant will fight to maintain his innocence.” It appears to be designated to keep the defendant in custody for a period of time.” read.
According to a 13-page document Larkin filed on February 9, Kelly had lunch with his wife on January 30 at his ranch in Kino Springs, east of Nogales. He got scared and left, finding several men outside his house.
“They were armed with AK-47 rifles, dressed in khakis and camouflage, and carried large backpacks,” the motion said.
After calling the U.S. Border Patrol Ranch Liaison, who is responsible for assisting ranchers in border areas, for help, Kelly stepped out onto the porch with his rifle and fired several shots over the heads of the armed men. Fired a warning shot to scare them.Motion. The men panicked and left.
A Border Patrol agent and a Santa Cruz County sheriff’s deputy arrived at his ranch minutes later, but could find no one nearby.
A few hours later, when Kelly was examining the horses around sunset, one of his dogs spotted something on the ground. As he approached, according to his movements, he could see the man’s body lying face down in the grass. Kelly called the Border Patrol Ranch Liaison again to report the body.
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