JBLM soldier sentenced to 70 years for Gorge Amphitheatre murders, assaults
A Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier has been sentenced to 70 years in military prison after pleading guilty to killing two Seattle nurses and wounding three other people during a 2023 shooting at the Gorge Amphitheatre campground.
James M. Kelly, 29, faced a court-martial held at JBLM Nov. 2 through Nov. 5, 2026. According to the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, Kelly pleaded guilty to the murders of Brandy Escamilla and Josilyn Ruiz, along with charges of domestic violence, reckless discharge of a firearm, and the wrongful use and possession of psilocybin
A military judge sentenced Kelly to 70 years in confinement, reduced his rank to E-1, and ordered his dishonorable discharge from the Army.
The shooting happened June 17, 2023, while Kelly and his girlfriend were attending the Beyond Wonderland music festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre near George.
According to the Army, Kelly ingested psilocybin and began displaying paranoid behavior. Court documents previously obtained by KIRO 7 said Kelly told investigators he began hallucinating and believed the world was ending. He and his girlfriend returned to their campsite, where Kelly retrieved a handgun from a locked box inside his truck.
Kelly then shot and killed Brandy Escamilla, 29, and Josilyn Ruiz, 26, as the couple passed near the campsite, according to the Army.
The Army said Kelly continued firing and shot a bystander in the shoulder. The wounded man, Andrew Cuadra of Eugene, later told KIRO 7 that he ran and hid behind a tent after being shot, thinking about his two young daughters as he tried to survive.
Prosecutors said Kelly then moved away from the campsite with his girlfriend. When she called 911 and attempted to intervene, Kelly assaulted her and shot her twice in the lower body.
Kelly also fired at an all-terrain vehicle carrying three security personnel responding to the shooting and shot at a law enforcement drone being used to locate him, according to the Army.
Police eventually shot and wounded Kelly, ending the attack. He was arrested and initially held in Grant County.
The shooting caused chaos across the campground and led organizers to cancel the festival’s second day. Witnesses previously told KIRO 7 that people ran from the area as workers warned them about an active shooter.
In the months after the shooting, friends, relatives, and members of the Seattle music community gathered at Cal Anderson Park for a candlelight vigil honoring Escamilla and Ruiz.
Escamilla and Ruiz were engaged, and both worked as nurses in Seattle. Ruiz was remembered by relatives for her love of helping others, music, dancing, travel, and snowboarding.
The Swedish Cancer Institute, where Escamilla worked as an oncology nurse, later installed a memorial engraved with both women’s names. Coworkers remembered Escamilla for her compassion, humor, and ability to give patients hope.
In 2024, the victims’ families filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Live Nation. The lawsuit alleged the company had policies prohibiting drugs and weapons at the festival but failed to enforce them.
The Army took over prosecution of the criminal case in February 2026 at the request of the Grant County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of Spc. Kelly’s conduct and represents an important step towards accountability and justice,” Army prosecutor Capt. Stewart Miller said. “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.”
The investigation involved numerous local, state, and federal agencies, including the Washington State Patrol, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Moses Lake Police Department, and Army Criminal Investigation Division.
Kelly will serve his sentence at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
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