Gorge shooting court dates set
R. HANS MILLER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 1 month AGO
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
Managing Editor Rob Miller is a 4-year U.S. Army veteran who grew up in Western Montana in a community about the size of Soap Lake. An honors graduate of Texas State University, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Brandee, and their three dogs, Draco, Pepper and Cinnamon. He has one son, William. During his free time, he enjoys photography, video games, reading and working on the house he and his wife bought in Ephrata. He is passionate about the First Amendment and educating communities. | December 28, 2023 5:02 PM
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 [email protected].
ARTICLES BY R. HANS MILLER
Feb. 10 initial election results
EPHRATA — Voters were asked to approve or reject educational programs and operations levy requests from a number of Grant and Adams county school districts in Tuesday’s special election. Voters in the Ephrata School District and East Adams Rural Healthcare decided the fate of specific proposals. Unofficial results released Tuesday night are listed below with additional votes coming in via mail over the next few days. Mailed-in ballots must have been postmarked by Feb. 10, 2026 to be counted.
COLUMN: It’s amazing what you can learn ...
Four years ago, almost to the day, my wife and I closed on the first home either of us have owned, a stunningly Pepto-pink house in Ephrata with what we thought of at the time as “character.” It turns out, that character is really, in many ways, a lot of work. Work I hadn’t done much of since helping my dad out when I was a kid a few decades ago. Still though, all of the work I had to relearn or learn – thank goodness for the folks at Ace, Lowe’s and experts on YouTube – has been incredibly rewarding.
Take a wander, see a wonder
MOSES LAKE — Living in Central Washington has a lot of perks, and one of those is the opportunity to see a variety of wildlife.