GoFundMe nixes for Arizona rancher accused of killing migrant

GoFundMe has nixed all campaigns that were set up to raise bail money for an Arizona rancher accused of killing a migrant who trespassed onto his property last week.

The since-deleted pages dedicated to 73-year-old George Alan Kelly were created after he was arrested Monday on first-degree murder charges and ordered held on $1 million bail.

“GoFundMe’s Terms of Service explicitly prohibit campaigns that raise money to cover the legal defense of anyone formally charged with an alleged violent crime,” a spokesperson told The Post.

“Consistent with this long-standing policy, any fundraising campaigns for the legal defense of someone charged with murder are removed from our platform. Donors who contributed to the fundraising campaigns for George Alan Kelly’s legal expenses have been fully refunded.” 

Kelly is accused of fatally shooting Mexican citizen Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, on Jan. 30 for trespassing on his Kino Springs cattle ranch property that lies just 150 feet from the US-Mexico border, police have said.

Authorities suspect Cuen-Butimea, who lived in Nogales, Mexico — a city located just three miles south of Arizona’s border, was crossing into the country illegally.

Cuen-Butimea was reportedly unarmed at the time he was shot, but police recovered two assault-style rifles from Kelly’s property. 

It is not clear whether the two men knew one another, or why Kelly allegedly took aim at Cuen-Butimea. But a still-existing fundraiser on Christian site GiveSendGo suggests that Kelly acted in order to protect his home.

“Neighbors say that he had been having difficulty keeping invaders out and say that Mr. Kelly would have acted in good faith,” campaign creator Shannon Pritchard wrote.

“It is a tragedy that a simple farmer, who should be protected by the government has been abandoned and had to defend himself. That is bad enough, but the government that caused this, now wishes to persecute him.”

GiveSendGo co-founder Heather Wilson told Fox News that her company decided to keep the page up — even after GoFundMe took similar ones down — because the company operates on “the presumption of innocent until proven guilty.”

“We understand we are not the judge and jury; we will not take down campaigns based on own biases,” Wilson said. “We will be praying for all involved.”

Arizona has a “stand your ground” style law that justifies threatening or using physical force against an individual as a means of protection.

Kelly’s bail was set at $1 million despite his pleas for a judge to reduce it so he could help his wife run their demanding ranch, the National Review reported.

“She’s there by herself… nobody to take care of her, the livestock or the ranch,” he reportedly said.

With Post wires