US Man Linked to Aussie Gunmen Strikes Plea Deal with Federal Attorneys

A US man linked with the perpetrators behind the fatal Wieambilla shooting that took six lives – among them two officers from Queensland – has agreed to a less severe plea agreement.

Arizona-based Donald Day Jr. will face court on October 21 after striking the bargain with US prosecutors.

The convicted felon, referred to online as “Geronimo’s Bones”, is anticipated to plead guilty to a sole charge of unlawfully possessing guns and bullets in a deal to be sanctioned by the court in the current month.

Connections to Australian Shooters

Authorities established clear connections between Day and the Train couple through online posts.

This couple, along with Nathaniel Train, murdered officers from Queensland Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, and neighbour Alan Dare at a isolated location in Wieambilla in 2022.

They were killed in a final shootout with law enforcement, following a protracted siege at the regional property.

American officials said Day communicated via online platforms with the perpetrators during the period of the fatal attack.

He referred to Queensland police as “malignant, malformed and malevolent”, and said they should be shown “no mercy whatsoever”, informing them he wanted to be at the scene physically.

Court documents outlined how the couple had uploaded an apocalyptic video on the video platform after the shootings, saying authorities “came to kill us and we killed them”.

“If you don’t defend yourself against these devils and demons, you’re a coward … We will meet you at home, Don. With love,” the Trains expressed.

Firearms Cache and Legal Proceedings

Legal records reveal the defendant accumulated a cache of nine high-powered firearms and numerous bullets of ammo at a rural property in Heber, AZ, that was equipped with a shooting 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’,” he said in the agreement submitted in court.

He said he frequently used both the weapons storage and the firearms, and also trained others on how to operate the guns correctly.

The plea deal will lead to charges dropped that relate to the accused issuing threats to public figures and FBI agents.

Based on court documents, Day had been prohibited from owning weapons and firearms because of his history of violent crimes.

Day, who has served 24 months in custody, faces a maximum penalty of up to 15 years imprisonment in jail or a penalty of US$250,000 (A$381,500), but the plea deal specifies he will be judged under the low end of the legal sentencing standards.