On a summer evening, the lives of two women, filled with love and promise, were tragically cut short. Brandy Escamilla, a 29-year-old White/Caucasian female, and her fiancée, Josilyn Ruiz, 26, were attending the Beyond Wonderland electronic dance music festival near the Gorge Amphitheatre in Quincy, Washington. The couple, both dedicated nurses who had recently relocated to Seattle, were enjoying the festival on June 17, 2023.
They had returned to their campsite to get warmer clothes as the evening chill set in, a simple act that placed them in the path of unexpected violence.
Without warning, gunfire shattered the festive atmosphere. A man, later identified as James M. Kelly, a 26-year-old active-duty U.S. Army soldier, had allegedly ingested hallucinogenic mushrooms and began to believe the world was ending. He retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and started shooting into the crowd at the campground. Brandy was struck by a gunshot to the head, and Josilyn sustained a fatal wound to her torso. The couple, who had met in high school and were planning their wedding, died together at the scene. Three other individuals were also injured during the rampage, including Kelly's own girlfriend, another festival-goer, and a security guard.
Law enforcement officers responded to the active shooter situation and confronted Kelly, shooting and wounding him before taking him into custody. After being treated at a hospital, he was booked into the Grant County Jail. He faces multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Brandy Escamilla and Josilyn Ruiz, two counts of first-degree assault, and one count of first-degree domestic violence assault. Kelly later pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held without bail.
