Aaron Kelly, the man found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2022 fatal shooting at the Richland Fred Meyer, is asking a judge to let him leave his psychiatric hospital for hours at a time without a staff escort, according to Apple Valley News Now.
Kelly, now 43, shot and killed Justin Krumbah, an Instacart delivery driver, and wounded store employee Mark Hill inside the Wellsian Way store on Feb. 7, 2022. A Benton County Superior Court found Kelly not guilty by reason of insanity in 2024, and he was committed to Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake, according to NEWStalk 870 and NBC Right Now.
From escorted trips to full independence
Kelly already has permission for limited outings into the community, but those trips, including visits to a grocery store and coffee shops, have required a hospital staff member to accompany him, Apple Valley News Now reported. The new request would let Kelly leave hospital grounds on his own and check back in later, rather than being watched the entire time.
That conditional release framework traces back to May 14, 2025, when four state oversight bodies, the Office of Forensic Mental Health Services, the Maple Lane Risk Review Board, the Public Safety Review Panel and the Secretary's Designee for the Department of Social and Health Services, sent a joint letter to Benton County Superior Court Judge Jackie Stam supporting a limited conditional release for Kelly, according to Apple Valley News Now. Stam granted that release, which allowed escorted community outings and unescorted movement on hospital grounds. This week's request is the next step toward full independence from supervision.
A forensic psychologist testified in the latest hearing about Kelly's progress and support system. Court records show Kelly has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and will require antipsychotic medication for the rest of his life, Apple Valley News Now reported.
Family says the risk hasn't changed
Krista Krumbah, Justin's sister, told Apple Valley News Now the family opposes giving Kelly more freedom while they continue to live with the aftermath of his death.
"He's walking on the streets while I'm a prisoner in my own house," Krumbah said. "My anxiety, my depression, my PTSD is so bad I don't get to leave my own house."
The available reporting does not indicate whether the Benton County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has staked out a position on the latest request beyond the family's objection.
What happens next
Judge Stam is reviewing additional documents and has said she hopes to rule by the end of this week, according to Apple Valley News Now. It's not yet clear what conditions, such as geographic limits, check-in schedules or monitoring requirements, would apply if she approves unescorted outings.
Cases involving defendants found not guilty by reason of insanity are governed by Washington's RCW 10.77, which sets the standards courts use to weigh public safety against a patient's progress toward release. Residents who want to follow the case directly can check the Benton County Superior Court docket for upcoming hearing dates and filings.
