George Kelly Verdict to be Revealed —What to Know

A verdict is due imminently in the case of George Alan Kelly, a 75-year-old Arizona rancher accused of fatally shooting an unarmed migrant on his property near the U.S.-Mexican border in January 2023.

Kelly has pleaded not guilty to second degree murder charges and the case went to the jury on Thursday. It did not immediately reach a decision meaning deliberations will resume on Friday morning after which a verdict could be announced.

Illegal migration has surged over the past couple of years, particularly after the end of coronavirus era restrictions. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection figures there were 9.8 million encounters between law enforcement and irregular migrants between October 2019 and January 2024, a figure nearly equal to the population of Michigan. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has claimed irregular immigration has created a "bloodbath" which is "destroying the country" as he seeks a second White House term.

Who is George Alan Kelly?

Kelly owns a nearly 170-acre cattle ranch in Nogales, Arizona, just across the border from Mexico.

According to his defense attorney, Brenna Larkin, Kelly had been concerned about migrants passing through his land in the years leading up to the 2023 shooting and consequently had armed himself for protection.

Kelly rejected a deal from prosecutors that would have seen him plead guilty to one count of negligent homicide.

Speaking to NewsNation correspondent Ali Bradley on Thursday before the defense team gave their closing remarks Kelly said: "I'm positive that we're going to have a good outcome. I have faith."

Kelly also said he had been leaning on God "hard" over the past 18 months adding: "He's my rock."

What Happened?

On January 30, 2023, Kelly came across a group of migrants on his property including 48-year-old Mexican Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, who court records showed had illegally entered the U.S. several times and was deported in 2016.

Kelly fired a number of shots from an AK-47 and Cuen-Buitimea was struck and killed. There were no other casualties though Kelly is also being charged with aggravated assault against another person in the group of migrants.

According to prosecutor Mike Jette, Kelly fired nine shots when the group was around 100 yards away, leaving Cuen-Buitimea with a severed aorta and three broken ribs.

Jette urged jurors to convict Kelly of reckless manslaughter or negligent homicide if they can't support a second degree murder verdict.

However, Larkin insisted Kelly only fired warning shots into the air, not at the group, as he feared for his safety. She also claimed armed traffickers had previously passed through his ranch.

During her closing argument Larkin claimed Kelly was "in a life or death situation." She added: "He was confronted with a threat right outside his home. He would have been absolutely justified to use deadly force, but he did not."

Speaking to prosecutors Mexican officials had previously called for Kelly to face first degree murder charges.