(Photo by Arizona Department of Corrections)

Shawna Forde

A federal appeals court has ruled the FBI did not have an obligation to notify authorities in southern Arizona about a home invasion that left a man and his young daughter dead.

The ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds a lower court's dismissal of a lawsuit brought against the FBI by the family of the victims. Gina Gonzalez claimed the FBI knew a militia group was plotting the 2009 invasion of her home in Arivaca but failed to alert local authorities.

Gonzalez said that failure resulted in the murder of her husband and 9-year-old daughter. Three suspects were tried and convicted, including Shawna Forde, founder of the Minutemen American Defense, which targeted illegal immigrants.

The group dissolved in 2010.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.