| A temporary change for the home page of MyCochise: This is a person of interest being sought in the Rob Krentz murder case: 
Robert N. Krentz, Jr., 58, left our world Saturday, March 28, 2010. Rob was born June 3, 1951 in Douglas, Arizona. He attended elementary school in Apache, AZ, played football for the Douglas Bulldogs when they won the State Championship in 1968 and graduated from Douglas High in 1969. After completing two years at Cochise College, Rob attended the U of A graduating with honors and a degree in Animal Science in 1975. Upon graduation he received a fellowship to Cornell University but chose instead to come home. Rob returned to the family ranch where he worked for his father, Bob, and his uncles Stuart and Jules Krentz. He married his sweetheart, Susan Kimble in 1977, after which the family bought out the uncles and continued to build their dreams in partnership with Bob and brother, Phil Krentz. At the time of his parents’ death he shared the partnership with his sister Susan Pope. Always active in his community, Rob served as President of the Cochise Graham Cattle Growers from 1993-94 and in following years served on their Board of Directors. He also served as a Board member for the Arizona Cattle Growers from 1993-1994. Rob was currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Malpai Borderlands Group and as President of the Whitewater Draw National Resource Conservation District. Rob was a kind and gentle man, a husband, brother, father, grandfather and good friend to all. He will be sorely missed. He is survived by his wife, Susan, two sons, Andy (wife Amanda) of Las Cruces, NM and Frank Krentz, Douglas, AZ; a daughter, Kyle Gutierrez (husband Brandon) and two grandchildren Robert and Madyson Gutierrez of Green River, Wyoming; a sister, Susan Pope (husband Louie) of Rodeo, NM, a brother Phil (wife Carrie) of Douglas, AZ, nephews Ed Pope (wife Kami and son Cole) of El Paso Texas, and Ben Krentz, of Douglas, AZ, a niece Kathy Pope Hall (husband David Joe) of Atoka Oklahoma, and numerous other relatives of the Krentz and Kimble families. Rob was preceded in death by his father Bob Krentz and mother Louse Kennedy Krentz. A rosary will be held at St. Luke’s Catholic Church, Douglas, Arizona on Friday, April 9, 2010, at 6 p.m. A memorial services will be held at St Luke’s Saturday April 10th, at 10:00 a.m. A Celebration of Rob’s Life will follow at the Gadsden Hotel, Douglas, AZ. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking donations be made to the Rob Krentz Memorial Fund: The Cowbelles: c/o Carol Riggs 4466 N. Brooks Road Douglas, AZ 85608 or the ACGA’s Litigation Fund: c/o Patrick Brey 1401 N 24th St # 4 Phoenix, AZ85008-4638 Pallbearers are: Robbie Sproul, Bill Martin, John Zamar, Don Kimble, Gerry Bhomfalk and Frank Adams. Honorary Pallbearers are: Dr. Roland Snure, Bill Snure, Clay Snure, Ben Snure, Billy Ben Snure, Tom Husted, John Robbins, Trey Reed, Fred Davis, Bill Wendt, Lynn Carchner, Zane Alba, Bob Boss, Gary Thrasher, Edward Elbrock, Don Steiman, Bill Kimble Sr., Bill Kimble Jr., Wes Kimble, Jon Kimble, Steve Kimble, Rob and Stevie Kimble, Jim Phippard, Dr. Stuart Strhal, Mark , Ethan and Cody Percell, Louie Pope, Ed Pope, Ralph Pope, Don Pope, Marshall Rice, Dick Rice, Bill and David White, David Jo Hall, Frank Krentz, Jess Gutierrez, Brandon Gutierrez, Brian Gutierrez, Doug Rogers, Homer Deen and Don, Steve Brooks, Dennis Brooks, Spencer Brooks, Randy Rice. Bryan Gutierriz, Gary McBridem Dr. Mike Krentz, Matt Krentz., Mark Brooks, Rich Wagner and Andrew Rogers. Condolences can be sent to: Krentz family; Box 3592; Douglas, AZ 85608. Newspaper article: An Arizona rancher was gunned down by a suspected illegal alien last Saturday night while tending to water lines on his family’s 35,000-acre ranch near Douglas. The added act of violence by illegal immigrants has border area residents on edge, including those in Hidalgo County. The body of 58-year-old Robert Krentz was found by authorities just before midnight last Saturday on his family ranch. Krentz’s brother, Phil, alerted police when his brother failed to show up at the ranch at noon. A search team was formed and began scouring the esert 15 miles north of the border near Douglas, Arizona. Near midnight, an Arizona State Police helicopter located Krentz slumped over his ATV, the engine lights and engine still on. His dog was critically injured by a bullet as well and had to be put down Sunday morning. Cochise County law enforcement authorities have announced that they believe the murder was committed an illegal immigrant who was able to slip back into Mexico after being tracked by county, state and federal authorities for approximately 20 miles. The act of border violence comes on the heels of a home invasion in Portal in January. Meetings were held with local law enforcement, including the U ted States Border Patrol, to devise a plan of action to address the escalation of violence by these illegal immigrants. Hidalgo County Sheriff Robert Hall told the Hidalgo County Herald Monday that his department has beefed up security along the border, as much as possible with ten deputies on the force. Hall added that he does not allow his deputies to patrol along the border alone, but rather in pairs due to the increased violence. His department is also working closely with Border Patrol officials. Furthermore, U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, along with U.S. Representative Harry Teague, Monday pressed the Department of Homeland Security to step-up the Border Patrol’s presence in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona. The New Mexico lawmakers pointed out that the number of Border Patrol agents stationed along our borders has reached a record high of 20,000, which has helped strengthen security along the U.S.-Mexico border. Additionally, DHS is constructing a new Border Patrol station in Lordsburg. But as drug trafficking gangs continue to threaten security in the U.S.- Mexico border region, the New Mexico lawmakers urged DHS to take further security steps. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Bingaman, Udall and Teague urged the establishment of a Border Patrol forward operating base in the boot heel. Forward operating bases are outposts that allow agents to patrol closer to the international border. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and Senator John McCain have called on the Department of Homeland Security to deploy the National Guard to the Arizona border, although that has not yet been done. The Arizona Cattle Grower’s Association is currently offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who shot and killed Krentz. The Krentz Family has been ranching in Southeastern Arizona since 1907. |