JBLM Soldier Pleads Guilty to Gorge Amphitheatre Murders and Assaults

Army Office of Special Trial Counsel:

"JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — A Soldier pleaded guilty to the June 2023 murders of Brandy Escamilla and Josilyn Ruiz and the wounding of three others during his court-martial Nov. 2 - 5 at the Cascade Court Complex at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Spc. James M. Kelly, 29, a fire support specialist assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, also pleaded guilty to charges of domestic violence, reckless discharge of a firearm, and the wrongful use and possession of psilocybin, a Schedule I controlled substance.

The military judge sentenced him to 70 years of confinement, reduction in rank to E-1, and a dishonorable discharge from the Army.

On June 17, 2023, Kelly was attending a music festival with his girlfriend at the Gorge Amphitheatre in Quincy, Washington, when he ingested psilocybin and started exhibiting paranoid behavior.

After the couple returned to their campsite, Kelly used a handgun to shoot and kill Escamilla and Ruiz, two women he did not know that were passing nearby.

Kelly continued shooting, striking a bystander in the shoulder before moving away from the campsite with his girlfriend. When she dialed 911 and attempted to intervene, Kelly assaulted her and then shot her twice in the lower body.

He then fired at an all-terrain vehicle occupied by three security personnel responding to the incident and shot a law enforcement drone the police were using to try and locate him.

Police ended the assault by shooting and injuring Kelly. He was immediately arrested and confined in Grant County, Washington.

In February 2026, the Army took over prosecution responsibility of the case at the request of the Grant County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Army prosecutors and legal support staff worked closely with multiple Washington state law enforcement agencies, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the county prosecuting attorney’s office, and the victims’ families to bring the case to trial.

“This sentence reflects the seriousness of Spc. Kelly’s conduct and represents an important step towards accountability and justice,” said Capt. Stewart Miller, prosecutor, Sixth Circuit, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. “We will continue to honor the victims and their families, and hope this result brings a measure of closure to a long and tragic chapter in the many lives impacted by this case.”

Miller added: “We also recognize the dedicated work of the responding and investigating agencies, including the Washington State Patrol, the Moses Lake Police Department, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. Their actions during and after this incident were critical to protecting the community, securing the scene, and preserving the evidence necessary to bring this case forward.”

“This successful prosecution underscores the vital role of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division in delivering thorough investigative findings that enable our judicial system to hold offenders accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Salter, Army CID’s Western Field Office. “Kelly’s sentence reflects the consequence of the deaths he is responsible for and the importance of the partnerships we have with our state, local, and federal partners.Hopefully, the outcome today provides a sense of closure to the families and loved ones affected by his actions.”

Kelly will serve his confinement at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

This case was investigated by the Washington State Patrol, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Moses Lake Police Department, Ephrata Police Department, Soap Lake Police Department, Quincy Police Department, Ellensburg Police Department, Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office, Wenatchee Police Department, East Wenatchee Police Department, Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau Of Land management and Army CID’s Western Field Office.

It was prosecuted by Miller and Maj. Chauncey Husted with the Sixth Circuit, Army OSTC, and Capt. Matthew Lorini with the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, I Corps.

About the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel:

The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is composed of specially trained military lawyers, legal professionals and support staff responsible for the expert prosecution of murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and other serious criminal offenses. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., OSTC has eight regional headquarters that oversee 28 field offices located worldwide, including locations in Europe and Korea. For more information visit http://www.army.mil/ostc.

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