Gorge shooting trial to go into 2025

EPHRATA — The trial of James Kelly, the man accused of killing two women and injuring multiple others at the Beyond Wonderland music festival in June of 2023, will continue into 2025, according to court documents.  

Kelly, who is still being held at the Grant County Jail in Ephrata, has had his trial scheduled for Jan. 15, 2025. However, the trial date has been bumped several times to accommodate the investigation and allow the defense to review evidence. A September court document orders investigators with the Washington State Patrol to release mushrooms and the associated packaging taken from Kelly upon his arrest to a lab in Pennsylvania for testing.  

Investigators named Brandy Escamilla, 29, and Josilyn Ruiz, 26, both of Seattle, as the couple killed in the shooting.  

Also injured were Kelly’s former girlfriend, Lily Luksich of Mill Creek; Andrew Cuadra of Eugene, Ore.; and Lori Williams, a Crowd Management Services employee who responded to the area where the shooting occurred.  

As a result of the incident, Kelly faces two counts of murder in the first degree, one count of assault in the first degree — domestic violence and two counts of assault in the first degree. Kelly, an active-duty U.S. Army soldier, is being held without bail pending the results of the trial. It is unknown if he will face additional military discipline.