Southern Arizona rancher testifies in Washington
Posted: May 27, 2010 1:07 AM CDT
Updated: May 27, 2010 4:11 PM CDT


WASHINGTON, D.C. (KOLD) - The crisis on the border is brining a Southern Arizona rancher all the way to Washington D.C. On Thursday, Bill McDonald testified about the dangers he sees right outside his back door.

We caught up with Bill at the Tucson International Airport before his flight to the nation's capital, as he keeps the fight for border security alive for a fallen friend.

"I think it's important for Congressmen to hear from somebody who actually lives with this situation, who knew Rob Krentz, who knows the people being effected by this," McDonald says.

Krentz was murdered in March on his Cochise County ranch. Footprints from the scene led back into Mexico.

McDonald says he wishes this would have happened differently, but he's not going to waste this opportunity to speak up.

"If we could take it all back, of course, we'd wish Rob was still alive, but since this happened there's a tension on the area. We want to take advantage of that and get something changed, so nobody else dies."

Even on the plane to D.C., you can't escape the issue -- People are reading the USA Today article about the troops now heading to the border.

"It is a step in the right direction, but it is only a step. It's just a temporary Band-Aid if we don't follow through with some more, some more actions."

Now, safely thousands of miles from his ranch on the Arizona/Mexico border, McDonald hopes his testimony helps bring that action.

"At least you're given a voice and I think when you're offered that kind of opportunity, you have to take it."

http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=12550878