US Man Connected to Aussie Gunmen Strikes Plea Bargain with Prosecutors
A US man associated with the perpetrators behind the fatal Wieambilla attack that took the lives of six individuals – among them two officers from Queensland – has accepted a watered-down plea agreement.
Resident of Arizona Donald Day Jr. will appear in court on October 21 after finalizing the bargain with American authorities.
The individual with prior convictions, known online as “Geronimo's Bones”, is expected to plead guilty to a sole offense of unlawfully possessing guns and bullets in a deal to be approved by the court this month.
Links to Australian Shooters
Authorities confirmed direct links between the defendant and the Train couple through online posts.
The Trains, along with Nathaniel Train, murdered officers from Queensland Arnold and McCrow, and neighbour Alan Dare at a remote property in Wieambilla in 2022.
The Trains were fatally shot in a final shootout with law enforcement, following a protracted siege at the regional property.
American officials stated Day corresponded via social media with the Trains during the period of the fatal attack.
He referred to Queensland police as “evil, corrupt, and wicked”, and said they should be shown “absolutely no quarter”, telling the Trains he wanted to be at Wieambilla in person.
Legal filings detailed how Gareth and Stacey Train had posted an end-times video on the video platform after the shootings, saying authorities “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 said.
Weapons Stockpile and Legal Proceedings
Court documents show the defendant stockpiled a collection of multiple powerful guns and hundreds of rounds of ammo at a rural property in Heber, AZ, that was outfitted with a gun range, gun room and sniper hide.
“The firearms and ammunition were kept in the mobile home I shared with S.S., in a room we called the ‘gun room’,” Day admitted in the agreement submitted in the legal system.
Day said he frequently used both the weapons storage and the firearms, and also trained others on how to use the guns properly.
The bargain will lead to dismissed counts that relate to the alleged making of threats to officials and FBI agents.
Based on court documents, Day had been prohibited from possessing guns and arms because of his violent criminal history.
The defendant, who has served two years in detention, faces a maximum penalty of up to 15 years imprisonment in jail or a fine of US$250,000 (A$381,500), but the plea deal specifies he will be sentenced under the minimum range of the legal sentencing standards.
