A judge declared a mistrial on Monday in the case of a 75-year-old Arizona rancher accused of murdering an illegal immigrant trespassing on his property after a jury could not reach a verdict after several days of deliberation.
George Alan Kelly had been accused of second-degree murder over the death of 48-year-old Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, who was shot in January 2023. The jury started deliberating on Thursday after a four-week trial and could not reach a unanimous decision by Monday.
“Based upon the jury’s inability to reach a verdict on any count,” Judge Thomas Fink said, “This case is in mistrial.”
A status hearing will take place on April 29 to determine whether prosecutors will attempt another trial. Kelly pled not guilty in March 2023 to the murder charge as well as a count of aggravated assault.
“It’s a victory,” said defense lawyer Kathy Lowthorp of the…
