Gorge shooting court dates set
James Kelly, the suspect in the June 18 shooting at the Gorge Amphitheatre which saw two dead and multiple victims injured, has a trial date set for February 28, 2024. The photo above is from a hearing in July of 2023.
FILE PHOTO
EPHRATA — James M. Kelly, 26, the suspect in the June 18 shooting at the Beyond Wonderland music festival, has multiple court dates coming up.
According to a criminal case scheduling order filed Oct. 3, 2023, Kelly’s case faces an omnibus hearing Jan. 16, 2024, followed by a readiness hearing on February 26 and a trial date of Feb. 28.
Kelly is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault and another count of first-degree domestic violence in association with the shooting. He pleaded not guilty during a July court appearance and scheduling has changed over time as the case progressed.
The domestic violence charge stems from Kelly reportedly shooting his former girlfriend, Lily Luksich, whom he had attended the concert with. While Luksich survived, Brandy Escamilla, 29, and her fiance, Josilyn Ruiz, 26 — both of Seattle – were killed during the incident. Andrew Cuadra, 31, of Eugene, Ore., was reportedly shot in the shoulder and Lori Williams, 61, was injured during the incident.
Kelly, an active duty U.S. Army soldier stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, remains lodged at the Grant County Jail in Ephrata.
A GoFundMe campaign set to raise money to assist the Ruiz family garnered them nearly $94,000 in support to help with funeral costs and other expenses.
“The Ruiz Family would like to express our deepest gratitude for your incredibly generous donation towards Josilyn Ruiz's funeral services, retrieval of her belongings, and any other unexpected expenses. Your support during this incredibly challenging period has touched our hearts and provided solace amidst the overwhelming grief our family is experiencing,” a joint statement from the Ruiz family said on the crowdfunding website.
Another campaign for Cuadra raised nearly $30,000 to assist with his medical bills and other costs associated with the shooting.
Moses Lake Police Chief David Sands said Moses Lake Police Department Detective Edgar Salazar, a long-time member of the MLPD force and U.S. Marine Corps veteran is back on duty after apprehending Kelly during the shooting. In doing so, Salazar reportedly shot Kelly once using his duty weapon and was put on administrative leave afterward in keeping with standard protocols for an officer-involved shooting.
GCSO, MLPD, Soap Lake PD, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Quincy PD, and Royal City PD all assisted in responding to the situation. To prevent a conflict of interest in the investigation, the case is being handled by the North Central Washington Special Investigations Unit, or NCW SIU, with the Wenatchee Police Department coordinating communication regarding the incident.
An omnibus hearing is a pretrial hearing to determine what the evidence is in the case and to ensure that the rights of the defendant have not been violated. The readiness hearing is a pretrial event to determine whether the case is ready for trial.
The Columbia Basin Herald will continue to cover this case as more information becomes available.
R. Hans “Rob” Miller may be reached at editor@columbiabasinherald.com.