US Man Connected to Australian Gunmen Secures Plea Deal with Prosecutors
An American citizen linked with the perpetrators behind the deadly Wieambilla shooting that took six lives – including two officers from Queensland – has agreed to a less severe plea agreement.
Arizona-based Donald Day Jr will face court on 21 October after finalizing the bargain with US prosecutors.
The convicted felon, known online as “Geronimo's Bones”, is expected to admit guilt to a single offense of unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition in a arrangement to be sanctioned by the court in the current month.
Links to Australian Shooters
Authorities confirmed clear connections between Day and Gareth and Stacey Train through online posts.
This couple, along with Gareth’s brother Nathaniel, killed Queensland police officers Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, and neighbour Alan Dare at a isolated location in Wieambilla in 2022.
The Trains were fatally shot in a gun battle with law enforcement, following a extended standoff at the rural site.
American officials said Day communicated via social media with the perpetrators during the period of the deadly ambush.
Day described Queensland police as “evil, corrupt, and wicked”, and declared they should be shown “absolutely no quarter”, telling them he desired to be at the scene physically.
Legal filings outlined how Gareth and Stacey Train had posted an apocalyptic recording on YouTube after the shootings, saying police “attempted to kill us, and we retaliated”.
“Failing to stand against these evil forces makes one a coward … we’ll see you at home, Don. Love you,” they expressed.
Weapons Stockpile and Court Case
Court documents reveal Day stockpiled a collection of multiple powerful guns and hundreds of rounds of ammo at a country estate in Heber, AZ, that was equipped with a gun range, weapons room and sniper’s nest.
“The firearms and ammunition were kept in the mobile home I shared with S.S., in a room we called the ‘gun room’,” he admitted in the agreement submitted in the legal system.
He said he regularly accessed both the weapons storage and the weapons, and also instructed others on how to use the guns properly.
The bargain will lead to dismissed counts that relate to the accused issuing threats to public figures and federal agents.
Based on court documents, Day had been prohibited from possessing weapons and firearms because of his history of violent crimes.
Day, who has completed 24 months in detention, could receive a highest sentence of up to 15 years in jail or a fine of US$250,000 (A$381,500), but the agreement stipulates he will be sentenced under the minimum range of the legal sentencing standards.
