R.I.P. Rob Krentz

The body of Rancher Rob Krentz and his dog were found shot to death on his ranch. Krentz, who always was good-natured and willing to help people, had called in that he had found an illegal alien and was assisting him. That was the last that was heard from him before his body was discovered.

Rob Krentz was a lifelong rancher in Southeastern Arizona, 12 miles north of the U.S./Mexico border and 25 miles northeast of the city of Douglas.

He was the father of three children. The ranch has been in his family for three generations, more than 100 years - since 1907, and sits on about 35,000 acres with 1,000 head of cattle. Running a ranch is hard work and with the influx of illegal aliens increasing, Rob was at ground zero of the stampede that is destroying the fragile desert landscape.

The Krentz family has received numerous threats in the past by illegal aliens trespassing on their property. In 2002, the family was physically threatened when one of them stumbled upon a group of 39 illegal aliens.

They were told to get off the land and they made threats. The Border Patrol did catch the illegal aliens after they were called, but we all know that illegal aliens, if deported, come right back across.

In 1999, Krentz and his wife Susan did an interview with PBS when they came around asking about the issue of illegal immigrationand its impacts on the local ranchers. "We've been broken into," Susan Krentz told PBS:

"One time," Rob said "You know, we've personally been broke in once. And they took about $700 worth of stuff. And you know, if they come in and ask for water, I'll still give them water. I - you know, that's just my nature."

In 2003, Congressman Tom Tancredo mentioned the challenges of the border ranchers, and in particular highlighted the the Krentz family's plight.

"In the month of November, 2002, in the Tucson Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol ... where the Krentz ranch is located, the Border Patrol apprehended 23,000 border crossers," Tancredo wrote. "many people would suggest that the [apprehension] ratio is just about maybe one in five, and that is a very conservative estimate. ... I think it is closer to one in ten".

That means in that sector alone for one month, 8 years ago, the most conservative estimate is that 115,000 illegal aliens crossed the border in that one chunk of land in the Tucson sector. All of the illegals are unknown. Tancredo notes that the Krentz's did mention to him that they called the Border Patrol. In one instance illegal aliens had butchered one of his calves.

In February [2002] ... a calf was butchered by illegal alien trespassers. Two men responsible were caught. They were tried. They were found guilty. They served a total of 51 days in jail. They were also ordered to pay $200 in restitution to the Krentz ranch. The Krentz ranch has not seen a cent of that money; and, of course, our best guess is they will not because these people have been released. They either came back into the population up here in the U.S.A. or returned to Mexico.

6 years after the PBS interview, in 2005, Krentz did an interview with KOLD as the number of illegal aliens exploded.
"We’re being over-run, and it’s costing us lots and lots of money," Krentz said. "We figured it up over the last five years and it’s cost us over $8 million," Krentz said. "Cattle don’t like people walking through, so they move. So, cattle weight loss, destruction of fences, breaking our pipelines, they break them in two and (the pipes) run for two or three days before we find it."

Krentz went on to say that when he was a boy he actually knew the few illegal aliens that came through looking for work, he said it's nothing like that now as hundreds of unknown illegals stream across his land.

Rob Krentz is just one of the many people who live and work along our southern border. A tough, hard working man who was trying to make a living and doing what he loved. Those who support illegal aliens will talk about "_human rights, but where were the "human rights" when it came to Rob Krentz? Where was the government) to protect our border and prevent this from happening, though they've been told time and time again? They didn't protect his property rights, nor his civil rights.

This country failed Robert Krentz, his family and all who work for him. As they have failed countless families all across this country. The number of deaths is estimated to be from 15-25 deaths caused by illegal aliens each day in this country.

It is not known yet whether Krentz was specifically targeted or whether it was just one of the hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens who come across our border every year who have actual criminal records, but in the end does it matter?
A hard working man was killed on his own land. And all for just trying to help out someone in need. And that is simply outrageous.

Rest in peace Robert Krentz, the country will surely miss a great and kind man like you.

Credit for this story goes to Dan "Digger" Amato. To continue to monitor this story, visit back here or click on www.diggersrealm.com/mt/archives/003355.html