Robert Krentz

Robert N. Krentz Jr. (1951 – March 27, 2010) was a prominent rancher in the U.S. state of Arizona. Active in a family cattle ranching business stretching back nearly 100 years, he and his family ranch were inducted into the Arizona Farming and Ranching Hall of Fame in 2008. Krentz was featured several times during the 1990s and 2000s (decade) in media reports regarding the problems surrounding illegal immigration across the Arizona stretch of the United States – Mexico border, particularly regarding its impact on ranching.

On March 27, 2010, Krentz was found shot dead on his Cochise County ranch property after reporting seeing an immigrant in need of help. In the immediate aftermath, local authorities said evidence indicated that the assailant was most likely an illegal immigrant, though subsequent investigation suggested the killing was not random and that drug smugglers may have been responsible. Krentz's killing attracted national attention and became a rallying cry for border security and immigration reform.

Background The Krentz ranch, located northeast of Douglas, Arizona, was founded by Julius and Emma Krentz (Rob Krentz's great-grandparents) in the 19th century when Arizona was still only a U.S. territory. Rob and his wife Susan, together with his brother Phil and sister-in-law Carrie, were the fourth generation of the family to live and work on the ranch. This was his last known transmission; after hours of radio silence aroused suspicions, he was found in a remote section of the ranch. Both he and his dog had been shot and had died from their wounds. Krentz had not been robbed, and in fact his gun was still in his holster. After being shot, he had lived long enough to return to his ATV and attempt to escape, but had lost consciousness and died before reaching safety. Subsequent investigations by the Cochise County Sheriff's Department continued to focus on a Mexican suspect, but suggested that the killing was non-random, that the perpetrator may have been a scout for a smuggling organization (rather than an immigrant), and noted that the day before the murder, federal agents had arrested 8 smugglers and seized 250 pounds of marijuana on the Krentz ranch. Democratic and Republican lawmakers from Arizona and neighboring New Mexico, as well as former presidential candidate Tom Tancredo, called upon the federal government to send U.S. National Guard troops to secure the border in the aftermath of Krentz's murder. U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords stated, "The federal government must respond appropriately. All options should be on the table." Reaction to the death led to increased public support for a broad and aggressive bill in the state legislature aimed at combating illegal immigration, Arizona SB1070, which was passed and signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer within a month of the killing.