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Arizona

Southern Arizona rancher trial sees closing arguments on Thursday

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Southern Arizona rancher trial sees closing arguments on Thursday


NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) — The trial of a southern Arizona rancher charged with fatally shooting an unarmed migrant on his property near the U.S.-Mexico border went to the jury Thursday.

Jurors did not immediately reach a verdict and will resume deliberations Friday morning.

In closing arguments earlier Thursday, lawyers debated the actions of 75-year-old George Alan Kelly, who is accused of second-degree murder in the January 30, 2023, shooting of Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea.

Cuen-Buitimea, 48, lived just south of the border in Nogales, Mexico. Court records show Cuen-Buitimea had previously entered the U.S. illegally several times and was deported, most recently in 2016

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Trial of southern Arizona rancher draws national attention

The case has attracted national attention as border security continues to be a top issue this election year and garnered sympathy for the rancher from some on the political right.

Cuen-Buitimea was in a group of men that Kelly encountered on his property. Prosecutor Mike Jette said Kelly recklessly fired an AK-47 rifle toward the group that was about 100 yards (90 meters) away.

Kelly said he fired warning shots in the air, but he didn’t shoot directly at anyone, explaining that he feared for his safety and that of his wife and property.

What did the attorneys say in their closing arguments?

“He says he shot 100 yards over their heads. But he never told law enforcement that he was in fear of his life,” Jette said in closing arguments.

Kelly fired nine shots toward the group, according to Jette, who said Cuen-Buitimea suffered three broken ribs and a severed aorta.

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Jette encouraged jurors to find Kelly guilty of reckless manslaughter or negligent homicide if they can’t convict him on the murder charge.

Defense attorney Brenna Larkin, in her closing argument, said Kelly “was in a life or death situation” that was “a terrifying scenario” for him.

“He was confronted with a threat right outside his home,” Larkin said. “He would have been absolutely justified to use deadly force, but he did not.”

She urged jurors to return a “not guilty” verdict, saying the state didn’t prove its case.

What happened to the other people on the southern Arizona rancher’s land?

The other migrants on Kelly’s ranch in 2023 weren’t injured and managed to escape back to Mexico.

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Larkin has characterized groups of migrants crossing through Kelly’s property as an increasing concern over the years, prompting him to arm himself for protection.

The trial that started March 22 included jurors visiting Kelly’s nearly 170-acre (69-hectare) cattle ranch in Nogales, Arizona.

Earlier in proceedings, Kelly rejected an agreement with prosecutors that would have reduced the charge to one count of negligent homicide if he pleaded guilty.

Kelly was also charged with aggravated assault against another person in the group of about eight people, including a man from Honduras who was living in Mexico and who testified during the trial that he was seeking work in the U.S. that day.

___

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This story has been corrected to show that Kelly fired nine shots toward a group that included Cuen-Buitimea, according to the prosecution, not that Cuen-Buitimea was shot nine times.

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Arizona

Person accused of making terroristic threats to medical facility in northern Arizona

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Person accused of making terroristic threats to medical facility in northern Arizona


PAGE, AZ (AZFamily) — A person accused of making terroristic threats toward a northern Arizona medical facility was arrested Friday morning.

Just after 10:30 p.m., police received a report of a person calling the facility and threatening to kill staff and Native Americans, according to the Page Police Department.

Authorities said staff placed the facility on lockdown until officers identified the suspect and arrested them outside their home.

The suspect was booked on charges of disorderly conduct, threatening and intimidating, and making terroristic threats. Police have not publicly identified the person.

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“The Page Police Department is grateful for and supports the medical staff’s decision to put the medical facility into lockdown until the suspect was arrested and the situation was rendered safe,” the department said in a Facebook post.

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NFL mock draft: 4-round projections for Arizona Cardinals

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NFL mock draft: 4-round projections for Arizona Cardinals



In these four-round projections, the Arizona Cardinals don’t get a tackle until the fourth round.

We are just days away from the 2026 NFL draft, and that means some final mock drafts. What direction will the draft take the Arizona Cardinals?

Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy put together a four-round mock draft for the Cardinals. They go defense early but rebuild the offense for 2026 and moving forward, including landing their potential franchise quarterback.

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Cardinals 4-round mock draft

Here are the players in the first four rounds Popejoy projects for Arizona.

  • Round 1: Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese
  • Round 2: Alabama QB Ty Simpson
  • Round 3: Clemson WR Antonio Williams
  • Round 4: Florida OT Austin Barber

What we think of the picks

The Cardinals want to trade out of the third pick and draft a tackle, so not getting a tackle until Round 4 seems unlikely, although they did meet with Barber. They do have options at right tackle for 2026 already on the roster.

Reese would be a great pick if they don’t trade back, as they badly need pass-rushing help off the edge.

Drafting Simpson seems inevitable at this point, so it has to be in a mock draft, although the feeling is they will need to go up into Round 1 again to get him.

Williams has speed and is almost six feet tall, but he does have short arms.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Detroit Lions NFL Draft Injury Report: Arizona State CB Keith Abney

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Detroit Lions NFL Draft Injury Report: Arizona State CB Keith Abney


Due to significant injuries to the CB position last year which includes a shoulder surgery for Terrion Arnold, the Lions CB position scored a 6/10 need on my Lions Defensive Draft Need Rankings. Thus, an early-round selection of a young, healthy prospect like Keith Abney would not come as a surprise. He enters the draft with very low medical concern level.

Here is the excerpt from my medical report on Keith Abney:

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Keith Abney, CB (21) – Arizona State

Projected round 2-3. #43 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.

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Concern level 0/10

There is an isolated report of a hand injury but no corroborating information. Even if the hand injury is true, that’s of minimal to no long-term concern.

His availability in his final two seasons has been perfect. Overall, Abney appears to be medically clean and is at an excellent age.

He finished college with 6 INT and 21 PBU.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a likeFollow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD

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