Mexico regrets that the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office in Arizona will not seek a retrial for the murder of Gabriel Cuén Buitimea

Mexico regrets that the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office in Arizona will not seek a retrial for the murder of Mexican citizen Gabriel Cuén Buitimea

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regrets the decision of the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office not to retry U.S. citizen George Alan Kelly, charged with the second-degree murder of Mexican national Gabriel Cuén Buitimea on January 30, 2023, in Nogales, Arizona.

Despite the elements presented by the prosecution showing that Mr. Cuén Buitimea was unarmed when he was hit in the back by a bullet from an AK-47 rifle while on Mr. Kelly's property, the prosecutors decided not to submit a special action to change the jury and the judge or, failing that, to file a request for dismissal without prejudice for the time being.

On behalf of the Foreign Ministry, the Consulate General of Mexico in Nogales will continue to closely follow the decision made by the prosecutor's office to ensure that other lines of investigation are exhausted and so as not to leave Mr. Cuén Buitimea's death unpunished. It will continue to provide accompaniment and explore legal options with his family.